Belgium gripped by theft of mayor's pants from anarchist museum

The hue and cry has been raised after a signed pair of the Brussels mayor's underpants was stolen from an anarchist bar housing a museum exploring the relationship between politicians and their underwear.

Yvan Mayeur's pants disappeared at the weekend from the city's famous De Dolle Mol bar which is run by Jan Bucquoy, a notorious Belgian anarchist and filmmaker best known for his 1994 film trilogy "The sexual life of the Belgians".

He confirmed the theft which initially went unnoticed from his Musueum of Underpants, which includes exhibits hanging on the walls of his bar and is a well-known drinking spot for Belgium's bohemian far-Left.

"Maybe I was naive. I thought my museum would make people laugh but I find that even my exhibits are not safe. What should I do? Install security cameras?," the anarchist said.

"I hope to find the pants. If thieves return them to me then I promise to give them a beer."

Mr Bucquoy had planned a spring exhibition based around underwear worn by serving and former Brussels mayors with the "philosophical purpose to show that all people are equal in their underpants, whether they are famous, rich, powerful or all three at the same time".

"My quest as an artist is to try to get rid of hierarchy," he said of the museum.