Margate Banksy shares offered for sale to the public

The mural is now housed at Dreamland theme park in Margate

The public is being offered the chance to buy shares in a mural by the street artist Banksy, which was painted on a wall in Kent in February.

Valentine's Day Mascara, which shows a woman with a bruised face shutting a man in a chest freezer, appeared on a house in Margate on 14 February.

The mural is now on display in the town's Dreamland theme park.

It is hoped by selling shares in the artwork it can remain there permanently.

The work by the Bristol artist has been valued at £6m, but a total of 27,000 shares will be offered at £120 each - equivalent to £3.24m.

Anyone buying one will be eligible for benefits such as limited edition prints.

The shares will be offered for sale from 22 August by the art dealership Showpiece, while the mural's current owner is being represented by Red8 Gallery in London.

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It is hoped selling shares in the mural will allow it to stay in Dreamland permanently

Red8 chief executive Julian Usher said: "I'm so pleased the Banksy work can be hosted at Dreamland, so it remains in the town for everyone to come and see.

"The fact it will be accessible for people to actually own a share in is wonderful, and it also means the mural can now make Margate its official home."

A spokesperson for Dreamland said: "We are thrilled the Banksy is now officially for sale, and that members of the public can now buy shares in this brilliant artwork which is drawing much needed attention to such an important issue.

"Dreamland is also delighted to be able to continue to give the artwork a home where members of the public can see it for free when the park is open."

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