A Banksy mural, which holds a hidden anti-Brexit message, has been completely sprayed over just two days after it appeared on a bridge.
The graffiti artist said he was behind the work on Scott Street Bridge in Hull.
But just two days later, the stencil of a boy wearing a cape and helmet alongside the words ‘Draw the raised bridge!’ has been defaced.
Since the artist – whose work sells for hundreds of thousands of pounds – confirmed he was responsible to his two million Instagram followers, huge crowds have flocked to see the work.
But there is now widespread fury on social media after the damage was revealed last night.
The stencil of a boy wearing a cape and helmet alongside the words ‘Draw the raised bridge!’ has been defaced
The new Banksy mural, pictured, appeared overnight on on Thursday featuring a young boy and anti-Brexit message
Locals stood beside the mural which was located on Jenning Street in Hull featuring the campaigning young boy
Anger was also levelled at Hull City Council for not protecting the artwork immediately.
Earlier, a senior councillor told the Hull Daily Mail he was ‘at a loss’ about what to do with the mural.
Posting in the Facebook group One Hull of a City, Robin Welsh said: ‘How slow was Hull City Council here? worth Hundreds of thousands of pounds as an art piece worth millions as a tourist attraction! mugs!…Companies would love a Banksy for raising revenue. Hull..tttt, luckily I was there today.’
Melissa Jade Ford posted: ‘I’m genuinely gutted.. I didn’t even get to see it for myself.’
Meanwhile Claire Walker described it as ‘disgusting and embarrassing’.
Gill Harrison said: ‘Why would some lout done this what a moron!!’
Sue Spencer said the artwork could have attracted tourists to the city to see it.
She wrote: ‘Blatant vandalism… they don’t realise it’s value obviously…could have brought so much to the city…utter morons..’
The artwork was painted on an old drawbridge in Hull. Locals said they first spotted the work early on Thursday morning
The clever graffiti gave the illusion that the young boy is sitting on some already existing bubble style writing graffiti.
However other councillors in the area called for the artwork to be removed despite calling his work ‘mindbogglingly brilliant.’
On Friday, Hull councillor John Abbott said the Banksy mural should be ‘cleaned off’, but accepted there was a case for preserving the artwork.
He said: ‘ It should be cleaned off and then photographed and kept, as Banksy is not a man without talent.’
The graffiti piece was first spotted on Scott Street Bridge, Hull, by passers-by on Thursday.
Eager social media users shared their appreciation of the piece, with fans describing the mural as ‘genius’ and ‘cool.’