Banksy prison mural: Fencing erected after artwork defaced

The Ministry of Justice, which owns the prison, said it would keep the fencing under review

Temporary fencing has been erected around Banksy's Reading Prison mural after it was defaced.

It follows calls to protect the street artist's image of an escaping prisoner after the words "Team Robbo" were daubed over it.

It is believed to be a reference to the late graffiti artist Robbo who had a long-running feud with Banksy.

The Ministry of Justice, which owns the old prison, confirmed it put up the fencing and would keep it under review.

The artwork, which appeared on 1 March on the wall of the former jail, features a prisoner - possibly resembling famous inmate Oscar Wilde - escaping on a rope made of bedsheets tied to a typewriter.

On Tuesday, a member of the public attempted to remove the "Team Robbo" tag with washing-up liquid before he was stopped by security.

A member of the public said he used washing-up liquid to remove some of the red paint

The artwork's appearance at the Grade II-listed jail, which closed in 2013, prompted renewed calls for the site to be turned into an arts venue.

Jason Brock, leader of Reading Borough Council, confirmed the authority had made a bid to buy the prison and described the defacement of the Banksy mural as "hugely disappointing".

On Thursday street art depicting a typewriter, similar to the one in Banksy's defaced image, appeared on Reading Bridge.

Street art of a typewriter appeared on Reading Bridge on Thursday