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Banksy 'Spy Booth' mural reduced to rubble on construction site

Fans of street artist Banksy have been left devastated after one of his most famous murals was destroyed over the weekend.

‘Spy Booth’, a mural showing three government agents tapping into a nearby phone booth, appeared on the wall in Gloucestershire overnight in April 2014, several kilometres away from the Government Communications Headquarters.

The artwork appeared overnight in April 2014. Photo: Yahoo
The artwork appeared overnight in April 2014. Photo: Yahoo

The controversial art highlighted the issues of government surveillance and was granted listed status in the town of Cheltenham to protect it from unlawful damage.

On Sunday, however, social media posts appeared to show the mural in broken pieces on the ground after being jackhammered from the wall.

The house on which ‘Spy Booth’ is painted was put up for sale in January, and work had begun to repair plasterwork on the house.

The blank wall where the artwork has been removed. Photo: PA
The blank wall where the artwork has been removed. Photo: PA

The council said they were unaware of any damage to the mural.

The wall shielded from the public by scaffolding.

In 2008, one of Banksy’s most expensive artworks sold for $1.7m at auction.

News break – August 22