Departures of note

Helch, whose real name was never publicly known, was a guerrilla graffiti artist who rose to prominence in 2018 by painting his eponymous tag 'Helch' in giant capital letters across a string of public spots in London, as well as bridges on the M4, M1 and M25. His work appeared in stylised fonts and different colours, and occasionally as just the letter 'H'.

His adventurous, usually nocturnal forays earned him a reputation as one of London's most distinctive street artists, with murals on concrete motorway bridges, rail viaducts and rooftops. He was dubbed 'a world class artist' who 'embodied everything we love about graffiti' by figures in the art world.

His antics were not always welcomed by the public, notably when an old graffiti sign of 'Give Peas A Chance' on the Chalfont Viaduct on the M25 was replaced with 'Give Helch A Break' in 2018. He also donated a share of his book sales to animal charities. His death was announced by the urban art gallery BSMT space in Dalston, East London, prompting tributes from across the art world.