A daily newspaper’s exclusive with artist Banksy has sparked global interest in a souvenir edition featuring his work.

The Glasgow Herald landed an interview with the reclusive, semi-anonymous artist as he prepares to open a new exhibition of his work at the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art.

The exhibition will reveal for the first time the stencils used to create many of the artist’s most iconic works.

The scoop prompted the Herald to run a front page on Thursday featuring a piece of his depicting a rat with a Stanley knife.

Editor Catherine Salmond told HTFP: “This was a very special edition of The Herald to produce, involving a great deal of teamwork, not to mention secrecy.

“We’ve had a huge amount of interest from across the world as people rush to order copies as a souvenir of this hugely exciting event in Glasgow.”

Speaking to the Herald, Banksy said: “I’ve kept these stencils hidden away for years, mindful they could be used as evidence in a charge of criminal damage.

“But that moment seems to have passed, so now I’m exhibiting them in a gallery as works of art.  I’m not sure which is the greater crime.”