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An apparently abandoned bicycle which formed part of a Banksy mural depicting a girl hula-hooping with one of its wheels has gone missing in Nottingham.
The artwork appeared on the side of a property at Rothesay Avenue and Ilkestone Road in Lenton on 13 October, and residents have been posing for photos next to it since.
The bike, which was locked to a lamp post, was on the pavement in front of the image, which shows a young girl playing with a wheel.
But over the weekend, people noticed that it had disappeared.
Maisie Garbin, 20, a student at the University of Nottingham, said she believes it was taken on Saturday.
She told Nottinghamshire Live on Sunday: “I think it went yesterday as I saw it on Twitter. It was done for community spirit so for someone to do that it is really sad.”
Twitter user and local journalist @NewsMutt reported that the bike has now been replaced with another: “It was gone and now it’s back. The #Banksy bike. Except that it’s a different bike! #Nottingham.”
The council has protected the mural with plastic sheeting after it was targeted with spray paint.
Banksy has not yet responded to a request for a comment.
Nottingham has a long history with bicycles after the brand Raleigh was set up in the city in 1887.
