Norfolk looks set to lose another of its Banksy artworks - but this time not to the auctioneer's hammer, but to the ravages of the sea.
A stencilled painting appeared on a sea wall at Cromer beach in August 2021 - which was later confirmed to be part of the mysterious street artist's Great British Spraycation series.
The art, which is located near the beach huts at the east end of the town, once depicted a crab with a shell on its back holding a sign saying 'Luxury Rentals Only' facing a trio of crabs without shells.
But it has since been vandalised, with the words in the speech bubble now covered up with several exclamation marks and question marks above each of the other three crabs.
Councillor Tim Adams, leader of North Norfolk District Council (NNDC), said he would be "surprised if it survives through the winter".
"It’s deteriorated to a significant extent," he said. "It will be lost to the sea eventually.
"We've applied a resin to protect it, but it's extremely exposed to the elements, constantly being hit by high tide, debris and the weather."
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Other works in the Spraycation series included a miniature thatched stable with the words "Go Big or Go Home" on its side at Merrivale Model Village in Great Yarmouth. It was later sold for £1m at auction.
A huge seagull painted on the side of a block of flats in Katwijk Way, Lowestoft, was also removed, and it was reported it could have fetched anywhere from £1m to £3m at auction.
Other Banksy works remain in place, including a couple dancing on top of a bus stop on Admiralty Road, in Great Yarmouth, and a painting of children playing in a boat at Nicholas Everitt Park, in Oulton Broad.
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Mr Adams said the Cromer artwork has been a widely appreciated addition to the town.
"It was a very nice thing to have for the town," he said.
"We made a conscious decision not to remove it. It would’ve been a challenging job as it is on a very big piece of concrete, but we thought the artist’s intention was for it to be left. Very few are left in the public realm and freely accessible.
"It’s also an important message for us given the housing crisis in north Norfolk.
"Obviously Banksy could pop up again, but I think that’s unlikely."
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