A mural honouring DJ John Peel and his love of the Undertones' classic song Teenage Kicks has been wiped off a wall in Belfast.
The lyrics, "Teenage dreams, so hard to beat", were painted on the Bridge End flyover into East Belfast in 2004 to commemorate Peel, but were removed by the Department for Social Development (DSD).
The lyrics from the 1978 punk anthem were also engraved on Peel's headstone after he died in 2004.
Undertones bass player Michael Bradley tweeted on Friday: "So the John Peel graffiti removed in Belfast. Undertones now going to paint over the DRD [sic] building. Call the Outcasts!"
East Belfast Alliance party assemblyman Chris Lyttle said people were frustrated by the artwork's removal.
"There is a certainly a question being asked as to why this popular, non-divisive mural was painted over and more contentious ones have been left as they are.
"I have contacted DSD with a view to getting what had become an iconic image for the residents of East Belfast restored as soon as possible and I hope that will be the case."
In a statement, the DSD said it was undertaking a £300,000 improvement scheme in the area. "We do not remove graffiti as standalone issue. However, we will always remove graffiti, after consultation, as part of any scheme if it falls within a scheme area.
"Community representatives had contacted from the area have made initial contact with the department to develop a proposal to bring together teenagers from the Short Strand and Newtownards Road area to design alternative community art work in this location".
Teenage Kicks was recorded in a Belfast studio in 1978 and was first championed by local punk impresario Terri Hooley, the subject of the critically acclaimed biopic Good Vibrations.
Peel then promoted the song by doing something he had never done before on his Radio 1 show– he played the Undertones track twice.
• This article was amended on 21 and 24 June 2013 to clarify that the lyrics from the Undertones song which were painted on the mural are "Teenage dreams, so hard to beat", not "Teenage kicks, so hard to beat".
