Leeds canal mural defaced day before planned unveiling

The large-scale art mural had not yet been unveiled to the public before it was covered in graffiti

A mural on a wall by the Leeds and Liverpool Canal has been defaced the day before its planned unveiling.

The 25ft (7.6m) artwork in Armley took a year to create but has been covered in graffiti by "thoughtless vandals", the Canal and River Trust (C&RT) said.

The trust said it had wanted to "transform an unloved space".

Sharron Bright, community inclusion coordinator at the C&RT, said the defacing was "hugely disappointing" for canal users and the local community.

Ms Bright said the mural, which was due to be unveiled on Tuesday, was the final chapter in a mission to transform the area, known locally as Botany Bay, into an "eye-catching, heart-warming mural for the whole community to enjoy".

She said it formed part of a scheme to help tackle isolation and loneliness, by creating activities which introduced people to their local canal and helped share the "mood-boosting benefits of being by water".

The C&RT said it had worked to improve the area which suffered from "antisocial behaviour"

Speaking of the vandalism she said: "There are many examples around our network where we have not had this kind of reaction to our street artworks."

The mural, created by local artist Jaydon Rowbottom, features swans, reeds, flowers and bees.

The 27-year-old said he had always wanted to work with the C&RT because canals and rivers had been a "constant presence" in his life.

"My mum's relatives lived on canal boats, travelling along Oxford's waterways, and my dad would take us out canoeing and kayaking," he said.

Artist Jaydon Rowbottom said having the opportunity to showcase his work on "such a scale was fantastic"

Mr Rowbotton, whose endeavours produced the longest artwork ever to be created along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, said walking along canal towpaths had always helped to clear his mind and help him unwind.

A spokesperson for the C&RT said the charity spent £1m a year removing graffiti across its 2,000-mile canal network.