A piece of street art some claim is the work of iconic artist Banksy was sold in Kent on Saturday - but still went home with its original owner.

The stencil-on-concrete creation was put up for sale by former Mayor of Folkestone, Cllr Jackie Meade, in a charity auction in aid of The Rainbow Centre, FYP Youth Charity and Living Words.

Although the artist's most expensive work to date, Love is in the Bin, sold for £18.5 million, the stakes were slightly lower at the Leas Cliff Hall at the weekend.

With the bids failing to catch fire, the former mayor decided to step in.

"There was some intense bidding on some of the items and the majority of items sold and are with their new owners," Cllr Meade said following the auction.

"The Banksy started at £500 and there was an internet bidder, but I wasn’t prepared to let it go for such a low price so I bid to bring it home again. I finally won at £1,300.

"It was a very good natured and fun event and I have had very good feedback from those who attended, including the Folkestone mayor Michelle Keutenius and the Dover mayor Gordon Cowan.

"I know the charities are very happy with the result."

Cllr Meade was given the 'Banksy' for her 50th birthday by her partner, who bought it in London in 2010.

The work has been submitted to Banksy's Pest Control office for verification, but there has been no confirmation one way or the other, likely putting off the big buyers on Saturday.

Asked ahead of the auction about the likelihood the work is the real deal, Cllr Meade said: "We know several people who are supposedly experts on Banksy, they've seen it, they think it's real."

In all the Mayor's charity action, which was delayed for two years by the pandemic, raised around £5,000 for the three local charities.

Folkestone is home to one piece which is certainly the work of the artist. Banksy's Art Buff - which shows a woman wearing headphones peering over an empty plinth - is installed in the Old High Street for all to see.

And down the road in Dover, an EU flag appeared on a building in Townwall Street in 2019 and disappeared again soon after.