If you witnessed a llama – yes a llama ! – getting on the tram on thursday morning in Bordeaux, you do not need to worry: this is not necessarily a hallucination and may have nothing to do with too much drinking of that wonderful red wine the city is famous for worldwide.

On thursday morning before dawn, five young people, who had just left a disco in the Bassins à Flot area, went wandering up to the street Rue Lucien Faure, where a Franco-Italian circus currently resides.

Obviously very drunk, a crazy idea crossed their minds when they noticed a cage, in which several animals were being kept. They entered the circus’ site and stole a llama (named Serge, like a famous french crooner) ! The youngsters pulled the rope around the animal’s neck to make it walk out of his cage.

On the same occasion, they also stole a lion (well… a plush lion doll, that is !) and a trombone.

They then went parading the animal in the streets of Bordeaux… and actually got on the tram, at the stop called "Bassins à Flot" ! Astonished by the sight of such an unusual group of passengers, the tram driver immediately warned the Keolis Company, in charge of the tram traffic in Bordeaux.

The train got stopped and Keolis officials quickly arrived. Some passengers were let to leave the train and the Keolis agents exited the placid llama… and attached it to a lamppost. The young people took advantage of the chaotic situation to leave the scene without being arrested. They walked up to the Place des Quinconces and got on another tram before finally getting arrested by the law enforcement authorities at the Place de la Comedie.

They have been kept in custody at the Police Central Station for a few hours, and then finally got released. They will face prosecution by the Criminal Court of Bordeaux.

The llama has returned to the circus, safe and well (the health check can be read here). But the owner of the animal will not call it a day: the director of the Circus has lodged a complaint . "The offense is too serious: a zebra nearly escaped from the cage. We had to run everywhere to catch it", he argues.

On Twitter, a user posted these pictures on thursday morning

Tram de Bordeaux, ligne B ce matin. Un lama dans le tramway. pic.twitter.com/u4PkIe1rbT — Xavier CAPPELAERE (@x_cappelaere) October 31, 2013