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| Fears Banksy Cheltenham 'spies' artwork will be removed | Fears Banksy Cheltenham 'spies' artwork will be removed |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| There are fears that a piece of artwork in Cheltenham by street artist Banksy is to be removed. | |
| "Spy Booth", depicting three spies "snooping" on a telephone box appeared on a house in Hewlett Road in April. | "Spy Booth", depicting three spies "snooping" on a telephone box appeared on a house in Hewlett Road in April. |
| On Wednesday, a specialist firm - used to remove a piece by the artist in North London - erected scaffolding around the work. | On Wednesday, a specialist firm - used to remove a piece by the artist in North London - erected scaffolding around the work. |
| The borough council said it "believes" the owner had arranged it due to the "condition of the render". | The borough council said it "believes" the owner had arranged it due to the "condition of the render". |
| But local street artist Dice67 said there was "no way" the scaffolding was there "to do any work on the walls". | But local street artist Dice67 said there was "no way" the scaffolding was there "to do any work on the walls". |
| And people living nearby have been guarding the site overnight to ensure the work is not removed. | And people living nearby have been guarding the site overnight to ensure the work is not removed. |
| A spokesman for Gloucestershire Police said there was an increased police presence in the area because of "social tension" as people grow concerned it could be removed. | |
| Cheltenham's Liberal Democrat MP Martin Horwood said he would be "disappointed" if the owner of the house decides to sell the artwork. | |
| 'Make area safe' | 'Make area safe' |
| At the beginning of June, Banksy admitted painting the work - three miles away from the government listening post, GCHQ. | At the beginning of June, Banksy admitted painting the work - three miles away from the government listening post, GCHQ. |
| Since then "Spy Booth", which has attracted hordes of visitors, has been boarded-up by a firm owned by London's Bank Robber Art Gallery owner. | Since then "Spy Booth", which has attracted hordes of visitors, has been boarded-up by a firm owned by London's Bank Robber Art Gallery owner. |
| Mike Redman, from Cheltenham Borough Council, said the council "believed" the scaffolding had been put up to repair the wall but "do not know the exact detail of what work is planned". | |
| "The property owner is legally entitled to make decisions about the artwork without informing the council," he said. | |
| "In the meantime, it is important to keep the area safe and we believe this is what has been arranged with the recent involvement of a scaffolding firm." | |
| But street artist Dice67 said the boards had only been put up around the artwork. | But street artist Dice67 said the boards had only been put up around the artwork. |
| "I've been down there and had a look and there's no platform to get above it and they've drilled through the walls," he said. | "I've been down there and had a look and there's no platform to get above it and they've drilled through the walls," he said. |
| "They're definitely removing it I think." | "They're definitely removing it I think." |