A well-known American restaurant trademark had to be rescued by a forklift after it was discovered on a high school roof.

Big Boy, a statue of a chubby boy in red and white checked clothing holding a double-decker hamburger, was missing from Frisch's Big Boy restaurant in Gahanna for several days, The Columbus Dispatch reported.

The seven foot (2.13 metre), 500lb (226.8kg) statue was found on the roof of Gahanna Lincoln High School last Monday.

It was lowered by a forklift and returned to its stand at the restaurant.

Police said the incident had all the "earmarks of a well-planned student prank".