Banksy has confirmed that a new street art piece that appeared overnight on the side of a house in Barton Hill, Bristol is his work.

It depicts a young girl in his signature black and white stencil style firing a slingshot that explodes into a playful arrangement of red flowers, to mark Valentine’s Day. Banksy took responsibility for the work in the manner he normally does: by posting an image of it to his 7.2 million followers on Instagram.

The work has already been covered with a protective plastic sheet thanks to Kelly Woodruff, whose dad owns the house that the piece was painted on, as she was keen to shield it from the approaching Storm Dennis. 

“There’s so many people coming and enjoying it, taking pictures, it’s fantastic,” she said. “There’s been a lot of debate if it is a Banksy or not. Most people I’ve spoken to think it 100 per cent is, and they’re naming it the Valentine’s Banksy. It’s incredible and beautiful.”

The work first emerged on Twitter when the The Bristol Somali Community Association, based in Barton Hill, tweeted: “We woke up with this remarkable mural art painted on one of the houses of the area. We hope it’s Banksy’s work. Come and have a look yourself. Whoever painted, it’s worth admiring their creativity.”