Some may not see these Graffiti’s as Art – or they just do as they are told – to go and finish the job. The Parachuting Rat by the graffiti artist was next to amateur daubings. But dozy workers drilling through the wall for a café did not recognise what it was and installed piping in its place.

Now all that is left is the rat’s bum, tail, parachute and suitcase. The incident in Melbourne is the third time a Banksy was ruined in the Australian city in two years. The works fetch thousands of pounds at art sales and auctions.  But vandals damaged a public work by the Brit last August and council workers painted over another one in April 2010.

Jacqui Vidal, owner of a business adjacent to The Parachuting Rat wall, said the blunder was a devastating loss to the area.  She said: “This should have been avoided. It’s not a big piece, but it is one of the few remaining Banksys in Melbourne. The workers who were involved in it had no idea what they had done.”

Image Source: Flickr CGS327