A controversial street art piece by the famous anonymous artist Banksy could soon be sold by a local English council after being removed from public display due to sensitivity concerns. The artwork, which depicted two children clinging to an inflatable dinghy while a distracted adult pumped it up, was painted on a wall at Gorleston beach but was later covered and removed because of its perceived connection to a tragic local incident.

The mural was part of Banksy's "Great British Spraycation" series, created during the summer of 2021 when several pieces appeared across Norfolk and Suffolk counties. The Gorleston piece was painted on the side of the town's model yacht pond and was one of 10 works the elusive artist created in the region. All the pieces were eventually verified on Banksy's social media accounts, confirming their authenticity.

The artwork became controversial due to its apparent similarities to the tragic death of three-year-old Ava-May Littleboy, who died in July 2018 when an inflatable trampoline at Gorleston beach burst. Local officials quickly decided to paint over the mural, citing what they saw as insensitive parallels between the artwork and the child's death. Great Yarmouth Borough Council acknowledged the difficult situation, stating: "We thank Banksy for all the wonderful artwork and fully appreciate these circumstances would not have been known by the artist."

Rather than permanently destroying the piece, the council made the costly decision to carefully remove the entire wall section and restore the artwork. This restoration process cost £14,105, while repairing the damaged wall cost an additional £7,623, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The image was also subsequently removed from Banksy's official website, further highlighting the sensitivity surrounding the piece.

Initially, the council considered displaying the restored artwork in the town's Time and Tide museum, but ultimately decided this would still be inappropriate given the connection to Ava-May's death. Now, Great Yarmouth Borough Council is proposing to sell the piece through either an auction or private sale, with the matter set to be discussed at a borough council meeting scheduled for October 7.

Cabinet members will be asked to consider a recommendation to have the artwork professionally valued before proceeding with its sale. The council has stated that any proceeds from the sale would be ring-fenced specifically for community projects in the Gorleston area, ensuring that local residents would benefit from the unexpected windfall. This approach represents the council's attempt to handle the sensitive situation while still recognizing the significant monetary value of an authentic Banksy piece, which can sell for substantial sums at auction.