A mum-of-seven who is covered from head to toe in tattoos and has the Kray twins inked on her leg says she'll keep getting more until she's 80 despite people staring at her in the street.
Defiant Melissa Sloan, 45, got her first design at 20 and now has love hearts and a flag of St George on her face.
But there's room for more on her back and she says she's not doing any harm and won't stop.
Melissa, from Wales, told BirminghamLive : ""People stare no matter where I go.
"There's always drama. It doesn't matter if it's in the supermarket, or wherever, people look at me."
On people's reaction to her ink, she added: "Some are really nice and complimentary about my tattoos. But others ask why I got so many, or look at me and question why I would do it to myself.
"I went to a fair the other day and that was a challenge. Loads of people were staring at me as if I'm some sort of celebrity superstar."
But Melissa refuses to acknowledge the critics. All that matters to her is that she and her children like them.
"I have seven kids, most of them have grown up now, but they think they're fantastic," added Melissa. "My mum always said to me: 'you've got to be yourself'. That's what I'm doing."
After getting her first few done professionally, Melissa now gets tattooed sometimes twice a week by her partner at home. But his collection pales in comparison, with "only a few on his arm".
Melissa's favourite body art, on her leg, is of East End gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray.
When asked if she had any room left, Melissa said: "Not on my face. But there's still plenty of space on my back.
"I just love my tattoos, I'm proud of them. I will be getting them until I'm 80.
"I'm not doing anyone any harm, so therefore I won't stop. People can say what they like, but at the end of the day it's all about being yourself."
