The wall that is worth £200,000

A wall adorned with a painting by mysterious graffiti artist Banksy fetched more than £200,000 in an online auction last night.

The design, which depicts a painter putting the finishing touches to the real artist's scrawled name, attracted 69 bids on eBay, finally achieving £208,100.

But the successful buyer also faces the challenge - and the cost - of removing the brick wall from its West London abode.

The work appeared outside a post-production company run by Luti Fagbenle on Portobello Road last September.

After deciding to auction the wall, the potential seller protected the investment against vandals by placing a Perspex sheet over it.

Banksy's representative said that the wall painting was authentic, but added that the artist would not comment on the sale.

Works by Banksy, who is originally from Bristol, have grown in popularity in recent years. Fans and buyers include Christina Aguilera, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Last year, one of his paintings, Space Girl and Bird, fetched £288,000 at auction.

Bobby Read, an art expert at specialist insurer Hiscox, said: 'Banksy is a maverick as well as a hugely talented artist. It's an intoxicating combination for buyers as this price shows.

'The Portobello Road wall is a special piece and probably the largest piece of Banksy art work to have been sold at a public auction.'