Banksy's latest artwork Valentine's Day Mascara is to get a new home, 300 yards away in the Dreamland amusement park.

The surprise announcement came after art experts seemed unable find a safe place for the controversial painting which appeared on a wall of a Margate house at the weekend.

The fun park announced the surprise deal on its Facebook page earlier this evening.

It said: "We are thrilled to have been asked to host Margate's Banksy enabling the artwork to remain in the town and accessible to all those who want to come and enjoy it for the foreseeable future.

"We will assist the owner of the piece and Red Eight Gallery on the logistics of how, when and where the artwork will be moved.

"When everything has been finalised, we'll let you know."

The park is currently shut and undergoing its annual winter maintenance but it is expected to reopen to the public on April 1.

The artwork has made headlines across the world, mainly after over-enthusiastic bin men from Thanet Council carted off a fly-tipped freezer which was the main feature of the project.

It has been estimated it could cost up to £100,000 to demolish the wall in Park Place and move the graffiti mural to its new resting place 300 yards away.

Dreamland chief executive officer Eddie Kemsley told an ITV Meridian crew: "The arrival of Banksy's latest artwork in Margate has caused a real stir.

"Everyone in the town is really excited that he has chosen Margate as the location for his latest work and the fact that he is highlighting such an important issue only makes it more important.

"Imagine our surprise when here at Dreamland we got a call asking if we would be able to host the artwork."

It had been assumed that the mural, which highlights domestic abuse, would end up in the Turner Contemporary Gallery on the seafront. But bosses there scuppered rumours when said they had no plans to display it.

Dreamland, the oldest-surviving theme park in Britain, will be working with the London-based Red Eight Gallery to move the Banksy across town.

Ms Kemsley added: "We jumped at the chance to help ensure the piece could remain accessible and within the community."

Last year the amusement park, which is normally free to enter, was used as a film set for Sam Fender’s Empire of Light starring Olivia Colman.

It is understood the current owner of the artwork, said to be worth up to £2m, will be raising money for Thanet charity Oasis which supports victims of domestic abuse.

Julian Usher, chief executive officer of Red Eight Gallery, was called in by the homeowner to handle the safe removal and preservation of the artwork whilst looking for a permanent home.

The gallery has installed a temporary Perspex shield over it for the time being for protection against vandals. The original freezer has now been put in storage at a secret location.

A Thanet District Council spokesman said it had been necessary to take the freezer away to check it was safe. He said: "This included decommissioning the freezer to remove the gas and also ensuring that members of the public could not become trapped inside it.”

The graffiti shows the 1950s bruised housewife with a swollen eye and a missing tooth who has apparently disposed of her abusive partner. His legs can be seen hanging out of the freezer.

Deborah Cartwright, chief executive officer of Oasis, said the artwork was "incredibly important" in raising awareness of domestic abuse.

"We need to keep it on the agenda and keep people talking about it," she said.

It is thought a glass bottle, a broken chair and a frying pan which were part of the artwork were stolen by the public.

With the freezer, removed some ingenious photoshoppers offered up alternative designs for the installation.

Thanet residents had started a petition calling for the artwork to remain in Margate, as they feel "it was gifted to the area by the artist".

It has so far gathered almost 200 signatures.