Early Banksy mural painted over by accident in Bristol

Artwork had been on shutters of a small shop since 1990s

New tenants of the store unwittingly ordered it to be removed (PA)

A piece of art which is believed to be one of Banksy’s earliest murals has been accidentally painted over.

The graffiti artwork had been on the shutters of a small shop in Bristol’s Park Row since the 1990s, before its new tenants unwittingly ordered it to be removed.

It was only when a Banksy superfan, Simon Whiteaway, walked past the graffiti being painted over that the significance of the mural was realised.

Mr Whiteaway, 52, said: “I walked by and saw a painter going over the mural and said to him, ‘What are you doing?’

“I had to explain to him what it was and he was shocked.

“The shop was a skate shop for a long time – Rollermania – and Banksy knew its owner, Tony Coffey.

“In the Nineties Tony gave him £20 or £30 to spray his shutters.”

The origins of the mural were confirmed by London-based artist Inkie, who began spray painting with artists including Banksy and Massive Attack founder 3D in Bristol during the 1980s.

He said: “It was first painted by 3D Massive Attack in the mid-eighties, then me and FLX painted it followed by Dicy And Feek TCF crew.

“Banksy then painted a rather ugly freestyle over this in his pre-stencils period.

“It didn’t go down well and probably better for him it’s being painted over.”

Agencies contributed to this report