GLASTONBURY, England—One problem with graffiti art is that it is vulnerable to other acts of graffiti. In an incident in Glastonbury, England, however, it wasn't additional graffiti that ultimately ruined a Banksy artwork, but rather a group of volunteers who unknowingly painted over the work in an attempt to rid their neighborhood of graffiti. According to the Western Daily Press, the Banksy piece, which depicted Paddington Bear along with the caption "Migration is not a crime," was a mistaken victim of the Glastonbury Town Council's initiative to remove graffiti from the town.

A spokeswoman for the council acknowledged the mistake, saying, "Several places were repainted as part of our anti-graffiti drive. A wall with a picture of Paddington bear on it was painted over... We are looking to remove the layer of paint and having the conservators look at it."

The artwork was located on wall owned by local resident Julian Chatt. Chatt claims that before the incident he had agreed to sell the work for £5,000 ($7,460).