Rhyl: Banksy-style RNLI tribute gets perspex protection

A Banksy-style mural paying tribute to the RNLI lifeboat rescue service has been fitted with a protective covering.

The mural was first spotted on the sea wall not far from the lifeboat station in Rhyl, Denbighshire, on 30 December.

It depicts a child standing next to a heart-shaped lifebuoy and anchor and was spotted by RNLI Rhyl, which posted a photo of the artwork on Facebook.

"What a special tribute to RNLI. Thank you whoever you are!" the rescue service said.

It prompted speculation by locals that the elusive Bristol street artist Banksy had paid Rhyl a visit, with some saying the tribute to the RNLI should be protected.

But while it bears a likeness to some of Banksy's highly recognisable work, an artist who goes by the name of D.N.Z. has claimed authorship.

"Originally born and raised in north Wales, I painted this piece next to the RNLI station in Rhyl," D.N.Z. said on Instagram.

D.N.Z said it was "to thank all of the people volunteering for the RNLI across the country and to all the lives saved, and sadly lost," adding "this is also for the people of the community to appreciate and to remember the hard work that the RNLI do all year round".

In 2020, Banksy funded a rescue boat to help rescue migrants in the Mediterranean.

It featured a painting of young girl holding a heart-shaped safety float. The lifebuoy in the Rhyl mural is drawn in the same style.

Denbighshire council placed the cover over the artwork when it was made aware of it, a spokesperson said.

"This was done in order to provide a level of protection to the artwork and to allow sufficient time for the artist to be verified," the spokesperson said. "Further discussions will take place in regards to future plans for the piece."

D.N.Z. thanked the council for protecting the work so people could enjoy it "for years to come".

The artist is planning to recreate the mural as two original prints and donate them to the RNLI in Rhyl - one for the lifeboat station to keep and another for a raffle which would give members of the public a chance to win a framed print.

The money collected would go to the RNLI charity, the artist said.