Restored Billy Fury mural in Hampstead completely painted over just days after unveiling

A mural celebrating the life of Billy Fury has been painted over just days after it was restored.

The painting of the singer, who was one of the English rock n'roll stars to emerge as a homegrown rival to Elvis Presley, is in Billy Fury Way in West Hampstead close to where he recorded his first hits.

It was restored on August 22, months after it was initially painted over by vandals, only to be damaged again two days later.

The singer was born Ron Wycherley in Liverpool and died in 1983, aged 42. He had some 26 hits between 1959 and 1966.

After the painting was restored, Lisa Voice, his partner up until his death, said: "The first mural was amazing and I was disgusted when it got vandalised. The graffiti artists have come back to redo it and it's absolutely stunning - it is so Billy."

Many of Mr Fury's hits were recorded in the former Decca Studios just around the corner and his old record label just released a new album.

The Symphonic Sound of Fury puts his vocals alongside new music recorded by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

A spokesperson for Camden Council told the Standard: "The council was approached by a record company, who were looking to reinstate the Billy Fury Way mural.

"We provided guidance about them getting landowner consent from the wall owner, making sure that the image proposed for the wall wasn’t commercial advertising - such as an album cover, and was also in keeping with the original community-valued mural.

“We were pleased to see that the final product was in keeping with the original and that it wasn’t an advert.

“We are however saddened that the mural has been painted over and can confirm that this was not done by the council.”