15 February 2023 , 23:32
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Council contractors who removed a key piece of Banksy's latest mural have now returned it.
The elusive street artist claimed his latest piece in Margate, Kent, on Tuesday, entitled 'Valentine's Day Mascara' and depicting a bruised, toothless housewife pushing a man into a freezer.
Seemingly left as part of the display, the appliance was removed within hours "on safety grounds", Thanet District Council said, but workers brought it back on Wednesday.
But according to one resident, the workers failed to take with them a mound of other rubbish which has been "festering" just 100 yards away.
The unattractive pile of sand bags, electronics and furniture has been on the street for months, according to Carole Laker, who said she flagged it to the authority to remove.
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The original freezer back in place (Rory Milner / SWNS)The 68-year-old said she placed a sign reading, "this is not a Banksy, Thanet District Council feel free to remove".
"My thoughts were this would be an ideal time to get them to remove it after it had festered there for months," she told KentOnline.
"But then a truck turned up, removed the freezer and chair, and drove straight past the rubbish!"
Ms Laker said she had alerted the council to the Banksy mural on Tuesday morning, suggesting they pre-emptively clear the rubbish "as there would be a lot of people and media" and it "wouldn't show Margate in a good light".
"It's so stupid that they can leave rubbish on our streets for months, but then you get a genuine artwork like this - which surely any sane person can see the freezer is an integral part of - and they dismantle it straight away.
"It makes no sense at all to an observer now."
'Valentine's Day Mascara' has already been attracting tourists and Banksy fans (Getty Images)Banksy's latest work, a dark piece reflecting on the prevalence of domestic abuse, appeared on Sunday evening before the anonymous artist claimed responsibility on his social media accounts.
As with his other works, it has since been covered with a plastic panel to protect it, with the freezer now back to complete the display
The image of the 1950s-style housewife and legs - presumably those of her husband's - shows her pushing him into the electrical appliance left by the wall on the side of a privately-owned terraced house.
Thanet District Council has been approached for comment.
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