Trailer worth 1,000 goes on sale for 500,000 after it was painted over by graffiti artist Banksy

Now a work by the mysterious street artist Banksy could be driven away – for an estimated £500,000.

The design, on the side of a lorry trailer – which doubles as a family home for the current owners – is due to sell at auction.

Nathan Wellard and Maeve Neal with the trailer Banksy painted when he was a little-known artist

Called Fragile Silence, it shows commandos landing stereo equipment on a beach.

The trailer’s owners, Maeve Neal and Nathan Welland, say Banksy has authenticated the work, which he completed before they drove the truck to the Glastonbury Festival in 1998.

And instead of them paying him, he gave them two free festival tickets for providing the ‘canvas.’

At the time Banksy, whose real name has never been confirmed, was little known. But since then he has gathered a celebrity fan base including Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Ms Neal, 34, explained: ‘We have known Banksy for more than 12 years. He heard that we were travelling down to Glastonbury and asked if we would give over the sides of the truck as a work space. He wanted a large white canvas.’

The couple, based in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, make their living supplying circus tents but now hope the sale will allow them to buy a conventional home for their four children.

Ms Neal is resigned to losing the two-bedroom, refrigerated trailer, bought 11 years ago for £1,000. She said: ‘We had our fourth child, Neo, five months ago and the lorry is becoming a bit of a squeeze.

‘We’ve been travelling around the country for ten years providing festivals with tents. We’ve seen the price of Banksy’s work go up and up and we hope his generosity
can help us build our new home.

‘Banksy is a little mysterious but the man we know is someone who is really giving.’

The sale is being handled by Norfolk art dealer William Burroughs, who said: ‘The work is genuine.’

Last year, Banksy’s painting, Space Girl And Bird, sold for £288,000 and in January a wall displaying his work in Notting Hill, West London, fetched £208,000 online.