Statue of slave owner Thomas Picton covered up in Cardiff City Hall

A statue of a 19th Century slave owner has been covered over after councillors voted for it to be removed from a gallery of Welsh heroes.

Carpenters placed a wooden box over the marble statue of Sir Thomas Picton at Cardiff City Hall on Friday.

Cardiff councillors had voted to remove the memorial in response to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Lord Mayor of Cardiff Dan De'Ath said: "It's just not appropriate to have someone like Thomas Picton celebrated in this way."