Graffiti artist Banksy has allegedly created a self-portrait on the side of an office block in Shoreditch, East London. The piece shows a rat wearing a necklace, which is an image frequently used by the artist, holding a placard with a face on it.

The face is recognisable from a photo of a man believed to be Banksy, which was taken in 2004 at a graffiti-spraying event in Jamaica.

Last summer Banksy, whose works sell for up to £250,000 at auction, was identified as Robin Gunningham, 34, from Bristol. He has never confirmed or denied that he is Mr Gunningham.

The piece has been stencilled — a technique which Banksy favours to create his works quickly to minimise the risk of being caught.

Buyers for his art have included movie couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Jude Law and Christina Aguilera.

As well as his graffiti across London and other British cities, Banksy has regularly sparked controversy with his stunts.

He was criticised by animal welfare groups for using a live elephant in an exhibition in Los Angeles. He painted a mural of children digging a hole to a paradise beach on the Palestinian side of the West Bank wall and once placed an inflatable doll dressed as a Guantanamo Bay prisoner on a rollercoaster ride in Disneyland, California.

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