Banksy's Valentine's Day themed artwork has been removed - less than 24 hours after it first appeared.<br /><br />The mural, spraypainted on the back of a building in Margate, Kent, was only confirmed to be a genuine Banksy by the artist this morning (TUES).<br /><br />However, just hours after the confirmation, contractors from Thanet District Council carted away the freezer that formed a vital part of the piece.<br /><br />The mural - named ‘Valentine’s Day Mascara' - shows a woman in a 50s-era dress after she has supposedly thrown her husband in a fridge-freezer that has been placed strategically in front of the wall.<br /><br />The woman is complete with a kitchen apron and rubber gloves, but her smile is missing a tooth and she is winking from a battered and bruised eye. <br /><br />Her other half is only visible by his legs that are dangling out of the kitchen appliance which has now been taken away.<br /><br />Many art lovers have flocked to see the new addition today and have been left shocked by its sudden disruption.<br /><br />Dan Bambridge-Higgins, who captured the moment the freezer was taken away, described his disbelief.<br /><br />He tweeted: “You can’t get them to sort out any fly tipping but hilariously sad that the instant reaction to a new Banksy in Margate by @ThanetCouncil is to remove it!"<br /><br />Mark Delaney replied: "Talk about Thanet Council shooting themselves in the foot. How petty."<br /><br />ITV Meridian reporter Joe Coshan tweeted: "Extraordinary scenes here in Margate - a removal team has been sent to remove the fly tipped fridge because of health and safety.<br /><br />"A gallery were sent by the house owner to protect it but they’ve arrived too late."<br /><br />In footage posted online, a man can be heard asking one of the contractors: "You do know it's a Banksy, yeah?"<br /><br />The worker replies: "I'm fully aware of that and so's my boss, who's asked me to do this."<br /><br />The man asks: "How do you feel having to do this?"<br /><br />The worker responds: "It's my job."<br /><br />The council has been approached for comment.
