A giant pair of glasses belonging to The Cat in the Hat were among props from a movie of the children's story to have been abandoned by thieves at the weekend.

A range of plastic foam props, including a 1.2 metre-high (four feet) door key, and a 90 kilogram (14 stones) golf ball, were stolen from the set of the movie on Friday.

But they were found in a field near the California location on Sunday, confirmed local police.

The Cat in the Hat will be a big screen version of Dr Seuss' well-loved books, with Austin Powers star Mike Myers playing the lead role.

It follows the success of a film about another Dr Seuss character, The Grinch, and will hit cinemas at the end of 2003.

Filming is due to start next week, but the schedule has not been disrupted by the theft, producers said.

Jim Carrey as The Grinch was a huge hit

"There's some mischief involved," assistant movie location manager Rich Clark told Los Angeles television station KCAL-TV.

The giant golf ball was found covered in graffiti, which could provide clues as to who took the items, police said.

Other stolen items included a giant pair of dark blue glasses and a huge black anvil with hammer.

Some of the props, worth $55,000 (�35,000), had been broken.

Box office

The film's cast also includes Alec Baldwin. He will play next-door neighbour Lawrence Quinn.

The film will use characters from the original book, published in 1957, together with new ones.

Tim Allen was originally cast in the title role, but he had to step down due to other work commitments.

A huge star in the US thanks to his role in TV comedy Home Improvement, he was the voice of Buzz Lightyear in the 1997 cartoon.

The Cat in the Hat follows two children who invite the cat into their home while their mother is out - only to watch him run riot playing games.

When Myers' new role was announced, the star said: "It's great fun to be in a children's movie and it's an honour to be asked to be in the world of Dr Seuss."

The film's producer Brian Grazer said: "Dr Seuss' The Cat In The Hat offers a wealth of opportunity to bring something really special to the screen, and it offers the perfect showcase for the incredibly gifted Mike Myers."

The adaptation of Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, starring Jim Carrey, was a huge hit, particularly in the US where it topped box office charts in the run-up to Christmas 2000.