Haringey Borough Council has sent a letter to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport asking for support in retrieving the missing Banksy mural.

The letter is the latest attempt by the authority to get the Banksy mural back to Haringey after it was removed from the side of Poundland, in Whymark Avenue.

The council is calling for Secretary of State Maria Miller to support the community’s efforts to bring back the Banksy.

It has already written to the Arts Council and an open letter to the auction house in the US where the artwork is being sold

It's leader, Councillor Claire Kober, has also written to the Mayor of Miami calling for his support in helping stop the auction going ahead.

She said: “As the clock ticks towards auction day we are stepping up the fight to secure the return of our Banksy.

“We want to explore all avenues for getting back this important mural and having written to the Arts Council and Fine Arts Auction Miami earlier in the week we are now appealing to the Mayor of Miami Tomás Regalado and the highest ranked of our own politicians in the culture department.

“We have had residents from across the whole borough and people across the UK and beyond express how dismayed they are that a piece of art given to the community for free is now being sold for a quick profit."

She added: “We are urging the Culture Secretary to back our appeal and use any powers she had to intervene and halt the sale of this unique piece of public art.”