One of Skipton’s art sheep which was stolen and thrown into the canal now has a new home in Skipton’s twin town in Germany.

The sheep, one of the town’s Flock to Skipton individually painted sculptures, was thought to be lost after it was thrown into the canal days after the start of the event in 2010.

Its disappearance prompted town manager Brett Butler to carry out a two mile search of the canal by canoe.

His search was fruitless, but three months later it was discovered in the Canal Basin by Ian Clarke, of Pennine Cruisers.

Now, it has been sent to Simbach in a 1,000-mile, 16-hour journey as a gift from Skipton to mark the 30th anniversary of the twinning.

The sheep has been freshly re-painted and now features scenes from Skipton and the Dales, together with the town crests of both Skipton and Simbach.

Encased in bubble wrap, it was picked up in Skipton by a logistics company based close to Simbach which had an articulated lorry returning empty after a delivery run to the UK.

It will take up a new place on a plinth outside Simbach Town Hall where it will be unveiled at a special ceremony next Saturday, April 13.

Dave Parker, chief officer of Skipton Town Council, said the council had been looking for something to mark the anniversary of the signing of the twinning charter.

“We thought that the story behind the missing sheep deserved a happy ending,” he said.

The sheep was refurbished after its three months in the canal by David Baxter of Skipton Auto Services and repainted by Anna Tosney, who painted the prototype sheep for the Flock to Skipton project.

Tony Shuhbauer, the clerk of Simbach Town Council, said: “Mayor Wohl and our council here in Simbach think this is a splendid idea. We have already decided on a location for the sheep outside our town hall as a mark of the wonderful 30 years of twinning we have enjoyed.”

The original Flock to Skipton project saw dozens of painted sheep dotted around the town.

When they were sold at auction in August, 2011, they raised more than £14,000 for local charities.