Two giant koala bears have invaded Malmesbury – courtesy of the town’s self-styled 'guerrilla' artist Luke Hollingworth.

The cuddly, larger-than-life marsupials have appeared on the façade of the K&S childcare nursery at Pool Gastons Road.

Mr Hollingworth, 38, created the 3D work of art, covering three sides of the building, after an intensive four-days of work during which he used 30 spray cans of paint.

He had been discussing the possibility of transforming the plain grey structure into a stunning work of public art for about a year with owners Karen Phipps and Steve Paginton.

All parties agreed on the subject matter after Mr Hollingworth produced some rough sketches. “Then we went away for a week and when we got back it was there,” said Ms Phipps. “It’s amazing. We absolutely love it. We’re thrilled.

“It isn’t until you see it in real life than you fully comprehend the sheer scale of it,” she said.

“We’ve had lots of positive comments. Everyone is saying that it’s very in-keeping with the nature of the business.”

Mr Hollingworth, who is well known in Malmesbury under the artistic alias of Syd, said: “Everyone loves koala bears so I thought they would be perfect for the nursery.

“It’s been attracting quite a lot of attention. People have been coming from all over the town to see it.”

Mr Hollingworth, whose three year-old daughter Daisy attends the nursery, said that – alongside a tortoise on a viaduct in Birmingham – the 24ft by 30ft work was the largest mural he had ever painted.

He finished it on the same day that Banksy unveiled his controversial Dismaland ‘bemusement park’ in Weston-super-Mare.

“My koalas are the complete opposite to Banksy’s work,” said Mr Hollingworth, whose art has been featured on Channel 4’s Amazing Spaces series. “His stuff is dismal – mine’s happy.”