PASSERS-by have been doing double takes at this piece of urban artwork that has appeared in Southampton.

The stencilled image on the wall of a derelict building in Asylum Road left people wondering if guerrilla graffiti artist Banksy has once again left his mark on the city.

Rob Jones, 21, manager of the nearby Alexandra pub in nearby Bellevue Road, said: “It definitely looks like Banksy’s work, but who knows? I really hope it is.”

However, experts have been quick to dismiss speculation that the graffiti could have been done by Banksy.

Tristan Manco, a Bristol-based art expert, author, graphic designer and lecturer, said: “I would say this is 100 per cent not a Banksy. It’s too simply cut, not drawn well enough, terrible legs and feet, badly over-sprayed and under-sprayed.

“There is no ironic humour or double meaning to it. In short, not a bad attempt at a stencil but not comparable to a real Banksy.”

Back in 2010 Banksy left the image of a child, under the slogan “no future” on a residential wall in Bevois Valley. The piece was valued at £20,000 before it was wrecked by vandals.

This latest artwork is the image of a policeman with the tagline “Have a nice day”.