AN AUSTRALIAN council is ruing a decision to send street cleaners into a Melbourne lane after they painted over a priceless stencil of a rat by the celebrated British graffiti artist Banksy.
Melbourne deputy mayor Susan Riley last week sent a clean-up team into Hosier Lane, renowned internationally for its colourful street art, to clean up garbage in the graffiti-lined passage after local residents complained.
"Unfortunately the contractors were not made aware by us that that was an important piece," council chief executive Kathy Alexander told a local radio station.
The publicity-shy Banksy, who is regarded as one of the world's top street artists, painted several stencils in Melbourne during a 2003 visit. - Reuters