Pensioner paints over Little Stoke 'throttling' mural

Tony Davis had risked a fine of up to £2,500 if he did not remove the artwork

A pensioner threatened with court action over his "illegal" political mural has painted over it.

Tony Davis had received a summons about the painting of David Cameron throttling a nurse, which appeared on the side of his house.

South Gloucestershire Council said the mural, which went up before the election, broke advertising rules.

Labour supporter Mr Davis, of Little Stoke, near Bristol, claimed a neighbour had asked him to remove it.

He said: "There was a couple out the back who did object to it... the bloke came up and told me.

'Not for everyone'

"They are a pleasant couple... so I thought: 'Well, I've proved a point. I'm just going to live and let live'."

Mr Davis, 73, and his wife Veronica are life-long Labour supporters and hit the headlines before the general election when they commissioned an artist to paint the mural on their end-of-terrace home.

Tony and Veronica Davis's mural has caused a stir in Little Stoke

But they received a letter from the council telling them to remove the "illegal advertisement" by 12 May or potentially face a fine of £2,500.

The couple had offered to remove the word "Labour" from the mural but the council had also suggested the "offensive" image may fall foul of anti-social behaviour laws.

Mr Davis was expecting a court summons this week and took the decision to paint over the mural in black.

"I like street art, but it's not everybody's cup of tea," he added.