Banksy art in Folkestone vandalised by graffiti

The work by Banksy, which has an estimated value of around £300,000, has been visited by thousands of people since it was confirmed as an original

Roisin O'Connor
Tuesday 14 October 2014 09:04 BST
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A piece of Banksy artwork in Folkestone, Kent, has been vandalised with a crude drawing that was painted onto the original.

The work, which has an estimated value of around £300,000, has been visited by thousands of people since it was confirmed as an original on 29 September, and has created an additional surge of tourism for this year's Folkestone Triennial.

Police are now investigating reports of criminal damage after the offending image - a penis - was discovered on the painting in Payers Park on Sunday evening.

Kent Online reported that the crude image has since been removed from the Perspex window at around 8.40am with graffiti remover and a scraper. It is currently being guarded by security personnel.

The Banksy image in Folkestone, with additional graffiti

A police spokesman told the Herald: "Kent Police was called at 8pm on Sunday 12 October to a report of criminal damage in Rendezvous Street, Folkestone.

"It was reported artwork on a wall that had been painted on. Officers attended the scene and enquiries are ongoing."

Earlier this month an "offensive" Banksy mural was scrubbed off a wall in Clacton by the council, who did not know that it had been made by the famous artist.

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