Writing is on the wall for Banksy's West End mural

A Banksy mural worth tens of thousands of pounds is to be removed. Earlier this year the graffiti artist painted a small boy, watched by a security guard, painting the slogan "One nation under CCTV" on the wall of a building in Newman Street, off Oxford Street.

At seven metres high it is one of the largest of the artist's works in London. But the piece has failed to impress Westminster council.

In July the council's director of community protection ordered it be removed, describing it as a "blight on the local environment".

Deputy leader Robert Davis said: "I take the view that this is graffiti. If you condone this then you condone graffiti all over London."

Property investment firm Searchgrade, which claims it owns the wall, responded with an application to retain the mural. But at a meeting at Westminster City Hall last week to discuss the issue, the Royal Mail came forward to claim it was the true owner. The council has now launched an investigation to discover who is the rightful owner of the wall. It still insists the mural must go.

Searchgrade director Daniel Parnes said he would be mounting an appeal.

Mr Parnes said: "There is no doubt we own the wall. It's very disappointing. We didn't ask Banksy to pick our wall and we don't think we should have to pay for its removal. Actually we liked the piece and so did our tenants. We don't plan on selling it."

Meanwhile, the artist's oil canvas, entitled Tesco Value Tomato Soup, has been sold at auction for £117,600.The well-known painting smashed its £80,000 estimate at the Urban Art Sale. A spokeswoman said: "A bidding war broke out for it. It was jam-packed in the auction room."