Residents of Clifton were surprised and excited to find an overflowing bin in Victoria Square this morning.

The piece, which consists of two clear bags filled with cans, paper and plastic cutlery, seems to have miraculously appeared in the communal green at some point between 9pm on Monday evening and 9am Tuesday morning.

“It’s got that trademark playful humour of Banksy. He loves to put things where they don’t belong,” remarked Jennifer Smith of Mortimer Road, who spotted the artwork while on her morning walk with her chihuahua, Benjamin.

It was not long before the exciting news had spread across Clifton, and by midday there was a queue of art enthusiasts that stretched all the way over the Suspension Bridge to Leigh Woods.

Whether the artwork is a genuine Banksy or a fellow ‘urban decorator’ imitating his style has yet to be determined. However, Simon Spensenby, artist, art critic and owner of the Coûteux gallery in Clifton Village was confident that “if real, [Overflowing Bin] could fetch upwards of £250,000 at auction. Maybe more.”

Following an emergency council meeting this evening, a security guard has been hired to patrol Victoria Square and a plexiglass shell has been placed over the bin and two bin bags to protect them from being vandalised.

The ever-elusive Banksy has neither confirmed or denied that the artwork is his, and at the time of writing nobody has made any attempt to contact him.