Tendring District Council is to install a protective plastic screen over a suspected piece of Banksy street art in Harwich.

The artwork, which shows a young boy holding a fishing rod, was spotted at Stone Pier and comes after the anonymous artist confirmed similar works across north-east Suffolk were his.

Security guards were stationed by the work yesterday, with the council now installing a plastic screen to protect it.

East Anglian Daily Times: Neil Stock, Leader of Tendring District Council.Neil Stock, Leader of Tendring District Council. (Image: TDC/Pagepix)

Neil Stock OBE, district council leader, said he is "hugely delighted" one of the world's "greatest living artists" possibly paid Harwich a visit.

He said: "We are hugely delighted that he has chosen to come to Harwich and leave us with a reminder of his visit.

“We immediately put security in place and are taking further steps to protect this artwork as we await confirmation that it is indeed the latest piece of the artist’s ‘Spraycation’ in East Anglia.”

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The artist previously visited Tendring in 2014, with a £400,000 mural sprayed on Clacton seafront.