WATCH: Bear runs through city streets after giving circus handler the slip

THIS is the moment a mischievous bear managed to escape its handler and make a run for it from its circus, before running through the streets.

Run away bear

Many people dived for cover as the bear put on an impressive turn of speed to make a getaway from the touring Czech circus.

The escape prompted hundreds of calls to local police, who raced to try to track the animal down.

Calls from distressed residents helped them to confirm that the bear was careering around the roads of Voldoga, a city in north-western Russia.

In the amazing clip the brown bear can be seen rushing past traffic as it revels in its new-found freedom.

But the fun did not last for long as the creature decided it had had enough and began to panic as it searched for his home.

It finally managed to locate the circus tent, where his handler took him back inside.

A bear escaped a circusA bear went on the run on the streets of a city [IG/GETTY]

Eyewitnesses said that the poor thing darted around in traffic for quite some time

A police spokesman

A statement from local law-enforcement officials said: "It's obvious that the little bear was just as frightened as the residents were.

"Just how it escaped is still unknown. However, eyewitnesses said that the poor thing darted around in traffic for quite some time.

"But it eventually saw its tent and rushed towards it.

"The bear's handler appeared and took it in."

No one was hurt in the incident and the bear returned to the circus unharmed.

An investigation is currently underway into how a potentially dangerous animal managed to escape.

If found guilty, the handler could be slapped with a fine.

Circus staff, however, tried to claim that the whole incident was a publicity stunt.

Performers claimed that everything had been thought up as a way to attract potential audiences to their shows, adding that they were prepared to pay fines if they violated any laws in the process.

This claim was treated with scorn by many social media commentators.

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