Hampshire artist Hendog visits Hengistbury Head

The artwork of a small child fishing in a fishbowl was painted overnight by a Hampshire-based street artist known only as Hendog on the side of the coastguard lookout station of Hengistbury Head.

It is believed to be the first time the artist has produced a piece in Dorset, having numerous examples of street art in Basingstoke, Southampton and others.

NCI Hengistbury Head praised the artwork as “very cool” in a social media post and said it was attracting lots of visitors and photographers.

Image from Hendog's Instagram showing the artist producing the mural. Picture: @hendog_art

However, as with most street art, the piece was not commissioned by the coastguard organisation.

Station manager Peter Holway said: “Whilst we appreciate that the artwork added to the lookout overnight by street artist Hendog is really very good, we also need to emphasise that it is graffiti and that we cannot condone the building being used in this manner.

“Furthermore, the building isn't owned by the National Coastwatch Institution and we, therefore, have no say on whether the artwork will remain."

Social media users were all for the mural remaining, with one commenting: “Hendog is awesome, [they have] done a lot of art in Winchester too.”

Another said to “please preserve” the street art.