Banksy tree mural covered in plastic and boards

A Banksy mural in north London has been covered with plastic and surrounded by wooden boards.

The street artist claimed the Finsbury Park mural on his social media on 18 March.

The mural features swathes of green paint on a residential building behind a nearby tree to give the appearance of leaves.

Days later it had been strewn with white paint.

Previously, Islington Council said it was installing CCTV cameras and looking at other ways to protect the work.

The authority added it wanted the piece "to stay".

A spokesperson said the council was discussing "future solutions" with the homeowner "to enable everyone to enjoy the artwork".

The BBC has contacted the council for comment on the plastic covering and wooden boards.

The mural, on Hornsey Road in Finsbury Park, also features a stencil of a person holding a pressure hose.

The vivid paint colour matched that used by Islington Council for street signs in the area.

Mary Dickenson, who lives locally, told BBC London: "When it first went up it was nice. Someone did try to destroy it, and they've blocked everything off now, so you can't really see anything."

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Güley Polat, who travelled to see the mural from Germany, arrived to see the plastic covering and boards.

She said: "It's very sad. What I see is a disaster. I don't like it.

"It seems like we are in prison. I think Banksy doesn't want to have his street art in a prison."

Those responsible for the white paint have not been identified.

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