St Leonards now boasts a Banksy on the beach

The news that world famous street artist Banksy has painted a mural on the seafront has certainly created something of a stir here in 1066 Country.

For years locals have been talking up the town as an emerging art hot spot. Well, now '“ thanks to Banksy '“ the gaze of the international art community is staring squarely at St Leonards.

Hastings Borough Council has said the mural can stay '“ and rightly so. As locally-based artist Ben Eine pointed out to the Observer this week, graffiti detracts from an environment, street art enhances it.

However, with the landlord at The Tubman still unsure about whether or not he can keep his eye-catching mural, the local authority may be setting a precedent it will find it difficult to back down from.

Politics aside, though, Hastings and St Leonards should be rejoicing. Not many places can boast a Banksy.

NOT a month goes by without the Observer receiving a letter from a former patient praising the care they received while at the Conquest.

Doctors and nurses are no doubt under pressure with increasing numbers of people seeking treatment in A&E over the last month, hence the need '“ at least in part '“ for agency staff to be drafted in at high cost.

Few people would argue about spending extra money on keeping frontline services running.

And we hope this 6million loan (page one) gets the trust back on track as soon as possible '“ but it will take a lot of efficiency savings in departments across the hospital to equal the massive 170,000 pay out Kim Hodgson received this year.

IT'S heartening (pardon the pun) that more than 750 cyclists have signed up to take part in a new bike ride by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) (page 16).

Not only are they doing their own heart good through exercise but making a difference by helping the charity's pioneering research work.