A greetings card company has rejected Banksy’s claims that it is attempting to “take custody” of the graffiti artist’s name, attacking him for "tricking fans" in a ferocious statement.

Full Colour Black dismissed the artists comments as "entirely untrue", insisting it is a "legitimate enterprise" that does not "infringe his rights in any way".

Banksy claimed he had been advised by his legal team to open a store in Croydon this week to avoid his trademark being used by someone else under EU law.

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His shop, entitled Gross Domestic Product, sells a range of "impractical and offensive" Banksy merchandise.

In a Facebook statement hitting back at Banksy’s accusations, Full Colour Black said: "Banksy never makes anything available to his fans. We all love his graffiti. He doesn’t want you to have it and he’s hoping to trick you into thinking that we’re hurting his business. We’re not."

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It added: “Don't be fooled folks. He’s using weasels to paint our tiny little business as a 'big corporate’ and paint himself as the poor artist. Look beyond his slick PR. He’s out of your league but he wants your sympathy. If you really want to support the little guy… stand by us. We’ll continue to offer you amazing graffiti and we can post it to you across the world.

“Banksy – we love you. Don’t ruin your great reputation by attempting to shut small businesses. Trying to trademark your old graffiti pictures so your fans can’t buy them isn’t good - we’re merely challenging you. Nothing more.

“Also, do everyone a favour – tell the truth. Tell your Corporate Lawyers to stop saying that we’re trying to take custody of your name. We’re not… we never have… and we never will.”

The statement claimed the company had written to Banksy, his team and his lawyers “many times since 2010 to say that we want to pay royalties to him” but that he “doesn’t want it”.

It also criticised Banksy for attempting to “steal the thunder from Stormzy’s amazing performance at Glastonbury” – one of the items in his store is stab-proof vest the rapper wore.

The statement went on to urge Banksy fans not to be “fooled by his Bleeding Heart story about buying a ship for the migrants... if he really wanted to buy a Ship for the migrants, he would have done it back in August when it happened.”

Banksy previously said: "A greetings cards company is contesting the trademark I hold to my art, and attempting to take custody of my name so they can sell their fake Banksy merchandise legally."

The anonymous artist added: "I think they're banking on the idea I won't show up in court to defend myself."

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