Banksy-style mural appears on wall of former prison

New artwork depicts inmate escaping from jail that once held Oscar Wilde

A possible new Banksy artwork has been spotted on the wall of a former prison in Reading, England. 

A Banksy-style artwork appeared on the walls of a former prison in England where famous writer Oscar Wilde was held.

The mural was painted on the outer wall of HM Prison Reading, south-west of London, at the weekend.

It depicts a male inmate using knotted bedsheets to escape from the jail, with his typewriter tied to the makeshift rope.

It has not been confirmed that the piece was created by Banksy but it is typical of the Bristol-born artist's style.

The Reading prison, formerly known as Reading Gaol, was decommissioned in 2014.

It opened in 1844 and Oscar Wilde was held there from 1895 to 1897.

The Irish writer wrote the poem The Ballad of Reading Gaol after his release. It was based on the execution of prisoner Charles Thomas Wooldridge, who murdered his wife.

Banksy's Instagram page – where the artist confirms work as his own – has not been updated since December 10. But it is not unusual for the artist to authenticate artworks several days after they are revealed.

In December, the street artist surprised a neighbourhood in Bristol with his depiction of a sneezing old woman. He also painted a hula-hooping girl in Nottingham in October.

Banksy's famous works - in pictures