Banksy: Screen from Birmingham artwork sells for £2,300

A Perspex screen which temporarily protected Banksy's newest artwork has sold for £2,300 at auction.

The screen covered the work depicting two reindeers flying away from a bench in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, which appeared on a wall earlier this month.

It was put up to protect the work after it was vandalised, but was later vandalised itself.

Money from the sale will go to a homeless charity.

The artwork, which highlights homelessness, was protected by Network Rail after someone jumped protective barriers to spray red noses on the reindeer.

But a day after the screen was put up, it too was vandalised and still bears paint marks, according to Fellows Auctioneers in Birmingham.

The screen, which had an estimate of £100 to £150, sold for £2,300

New protection was put in place, but the original screen and the bolts used to fix it to the artwork, were kept by the Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District to be auctioned.

The Perspex, which had an estimate of £100 to £150, was sold to Steve Tolley, co-owner of the Bullion Room, a Birmingham-based precious metal and jewellery dealer.

Proceeds are going to Midland Langar Seva Society, with donations from local business, including the auctioneer, bringing the total donation to £3,000.

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Simon Evans, from Network Rail, said: "Life is strange sometimes. Ordinarily a piece of Perspex is no big deal. But a piece of Perspex that has protected a Banksy - that is a big deal."

Mr Tolley said: "It would have been a shame to have seen the Perspex sell to someone outside the Quarter and homelessness is a big issue around here, so it is good to give something back to the community."

The Perspex will go on display in the company's showroom.

A vandal sprayed the artwork with red noses