A salon owner was shocked to find his nail shop covered in graffiti and suspects Banksy is behind it.
Lee Reuter, 29, arrived to open his shop in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, on Thursday morning but could not park outside as normal due to the town’s Christmas preparations.
Mr Reuter parked a short distance away and was left “shaking” after seeing his recently opened nail salon covered in spray paint.
He told the Express.co.uk: “I was just in shock; I didn’t know where to look.
“I was about to call the police, but the more I looked around, the more I realised it actually looks really good.”
The tale was set for a further twist for Mr Reuter after a conversation with a local art dealer who told him that the renowned graffiti artist Banksy was known to be in the area the previous night.
Banksy, the anonymous graffiti artist, is responsible for dozens of high-profile pieces and stunts around the world, often using his artwork to send political and social messages to his millions of followers.
Mr Reuter is unsure why his shop would be a potential target for the world-famous artist.
He said: “I am really not sure, perhaps it was the only shop on the street plain enough to target.
“I am literally in the middle of the street, so it is a prime location to get people to see it.
“It is difficult to work out if there is any hidden meaning, there are so many pieces such as one that says, ‘get nailed’ close to where we do the manicures.”
The eye-catching artwork has brought people out in droves to have a look at a potentially lucrative work of art that Mr Reuter says he would absolutely sell if it was confirmed to be a Banksy.
He said: “I’ve had so many people wandering past and coming in asking questions about what has happened and literally every person says they love it.
“Even older people who are not usually fans of art like that have said they love the colours and design. I keep standing outside just looking at it; it’s crazy.”
Mr Reuter rejects cynical claims that the work could have been done as a publicity stunt.
He protested: “I wouldn’t have a clue where to start with anything like that.”
Express.co.uk has contacted Banksy via their website for comment.
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