WHAT THE HELCH
What does Helch mean? The story behind the graffiti appearing all over London
MYSTERIOUS graffiti has appeared all over West London, the word “HELCH” in giant letters - but what does it mean?
Read on to find out everything we know about the tag that’s set tongues wagging...
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Where has Helch been spray-painted?
The graffiti first appeared in West London in September 2018.
The tags were localised to South Harrow, which had Londoners wondering if that's where the phrase or artist, Helch originates from.
It turns out Helch's secret pal claims to confirm this after reports of a flurry of Helch tags in the area.
The tags have also appeared in Lewisham and Buckinghamshire, on the famous "Give Peas a Chance" bridge - which now reads "Give Helch a Break."
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In a gutsy move, the artist also spray-painted the 60ft tag on a royal railway viaduct, ruining the iconic view of Windsor Castle - and leaving the Queen "extremely upset."
Helch has also appeared further afield, with the phrase "Boris is Helch" being spray-painted on the landmark blue bridge over the M4 just north of Bristol.
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The joke is that the phrase "Boris is..." was painted there beforehand, leaving locals scratching their heads.
After Network Rail covered the graffiti, someone - possibly Helch - came back to return the phrase to its rightful glory, and claim that the new PM moonlights as a ballsy graffiti artist.
The phrase has also been seen on numerous bridges heading out of London, northwards on the M1.
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What does Helch mean?
The answer sadly is that, truthfully, nobody really knows.
An anonymous tipster claiming to be a pal of the risky artist told that Helch was simply a "tag" - a name painted by graffiti artists to show where they have dared to brandish a can of spray-paint.
The source said: "It was just a name that he picked. It's got no real significance, it's just his tag."
The source claims Helch has been using the tag since he first got into the controversial art form aged 10.
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What do people think of Helch?
Helch has split opinions across the UK - the queen is cetainly not a fan.
However, for Harrow residents Helch has become part of the landscape.
The hashtag #helch also has 468 posts on Instagram and counting, as the artist chooses more public and controversial canvases for their art.
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LATEST NEWS
Is Helch the same person who painted 'Give Peas a Chance'?
There is also a running theory that the artist responsible for the Helch tag could be the same person who painted the "Give Peas a Chance" bridge.
A play on the iconic John Lennon song, "Give Peace a Chance" the graffiti was at first partly erased and then painted over so that it now implores drivers to "Give Helch a break" - but fans of the original graffiti weren't happy.
However, the audacity of the Helcher has left many wondering if it is perhaps the same artist - who else would have the nerve to change such an iconic piece of graffiti?
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