A graffiti artist known as Peachy is behind artwork painted next to an original Banksy in Barton Hill - with photographs released to BristolWorld showing him at work.

The picture of a life-sized masked man appeared on Saturday morning next to older, boarded-up artwork of a small child catapulting red roses into the air by Banksy.

The new work shows the man attempting to pry away the covering on the older design by Banksy, which had first appeared in early 2020.

The Banksy piece was covered up after it was vandalised - although the roses above it can be seen under plastic sheeting.

The new artwork led to some people believing it was Banksy, but a closer look reveals a tag which says ‘Peachy’.

Peachy creating the artwork (left) next to the original Banksy now boarded up in Barton Hill

BristolWorld contacted the artist via his Instagram account _peachy official, where he had posted a picture of the artwork.

Wanting to remain anonymous, he answered questions on why he did it, and if there were going to be more in the coming weeks.

On why he did it, he said: “I want people to be able to see my work all over the UK, I want them to realise what artwork can bring to communities if done in the right place and time.

“I want my works to inspire and for people to be able to enjoy seeing them and gain something from then.”

He confirmed that the work was done between Friday evening and Saturday morning - and shared pictures of the artwork being created.

He said his works ‘are very similar’ to Banksy - ‘just the same style of artworks’, he added.

Image shared by Peachy of him creating the artwork in Barton Hill

When asked if more would be appearing in Bristol, he said: “Yes, more works will be appearing all over the UK.”

Other works by Peachy have reportedly appeared elsewhere in the UK.

A closer image of Peachy creating the piece of the masked worksman (credit: Peachy)

Before Christmas he reportedly drew a motif on the side of Reading Gaol, and in October, in the same town, he created a Dave Attenborough art piece, featuring the Extinction Rebellion logo.

The Reading Chronicle report that Peachy goes by the name of Portus Abonae - which is another name for the Roman settlement of Sea Mills. Last year, he performed a live class on graffiti to primary school children, also in Reading.

When BristolWorld asked about the name Portus Abonae, he said the media had got him ‘mixed up’ with another artist. He added: “I am Peachy.”

Revealed: Graffiti artist behind the ‘Banksy’ style artwork in Bristol - and why did he do it