An attempt has been made to remove a mural by the artist Banksy from a building outside Ukraine's capital, Kyiv.

The mural is one of seven art works Banksy said he created in and around Kyiv last month. It is set on a yellow wall and depicts a woman wearing a gas mask and holding a fire extinguisher.

Police say they received a call on Friday from a resident living nearby who said someone was trying to dismantle part of the building. Police officers arrived at the scene and found eight suspects trying to cut the mural from the wall.

One of the suspects said he had thought the building was going to be destroyed, and the artwork would be lost.

Police are investigating the motives behind the incident.