A suspected 'Banksy' graffiti piece spotted in the city centre has been painted over by Glasgow City Council.

The painting in Springfield Court was first spotted by eagle-eyed fans on Wednesday morning.

The Orange Walk-inspired artwork depicted a rat donning a sash and Union Jack hat banging a drum that read "God Save the King."

The rat appeared to have been lured into a trap by a copy of The Sun newspaper.

While the authenticity of the work has not been confirmed, it caused a stir on social media with people weighing in on its legitimacy.

Earlier today, it was reported that the work had been vandalised with blue paint.

Comedian Janey Godley shared a snap on Twitter, writing: "Off the lane near the Banksy exhibition- not confirmed a real Banksy - but gained a lot of public attention - but it upset some people and was covered in graffiti."

Now, it appears the council has hastily taken action and painted over the alleged Banksy.

Glasgow Times:

The artist is currently showing a retrospective exhibition at the GoMA titled Cut and Run.

A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: “The image has been removed. We understand it is was not by Banksy. Anyone who wants to be certain of viewing a true Banksy should head to the exhibition at GoMA.”

The artwork does not appear on Banksy’s official website, Pest Control, which catalogues all of the artist’s genuine work.

Depute Lord Provost of Glasgow Christy Mearns had urged the council not to remove it.

She tweeted on Wednesday: “I flagged this to council and asked that it is not removed.

“It’s a building in a very public space – and it’s not affecting the building in any way.”