A father who had a bulldog and St George's flag tattooed onto his arm in his youth admits he regrets the body art as he's 'not even that patriotic'. 

Richard, from Rugby, had the large tattoo - that shows a bulldog bursting from a St George's flag with a Union Jack in his jaws and the word 'England' underneath - inked on 15 years ago when he was in the Armed Forces.

Back then, he said body art helped him fit in and he loved showing it off. 

Richard had this bulldog and St George's flag tattoo when he was in the Army and lived to regret it

Richard had this bulldog and St George's flag tattoo when he was in the Army and lived to regret it

A close-up of the tattoo shows how it features the word 'England' and Richard, now a father, worries this makes him look like a 'racist thug'

A close-up of the tattoo shows how it features the word 'England' and Richard, now a father, worries this makes him look like a 'racist thug'

'When I went into the Army everyone was covered in tattoos. I think I was the only one that didn't have one so that made me want one,' he said on the latest episode of Spike show Tattoo Disasters. 

'I'm not even that patriotic but it was the in thing at the time. For first couple of years I loved it and I always wore a vest.' 

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But now a 32-year-old transport planner and father to Harper, two, he believes the tattoo gives the wrong impression. 

'I don't want people thinking I'm a chav or a racist thug. I think it gives a bad impression, especially when I'm in another country and someone sees "England" all across my arm,' he explained.

The father has gone on to have several other tattoos but he hates the patriotic picture on his arm and wants to have it covered up rather than removed

The father has gone on to have several other tattoos but he hates the patriotic picture on his arm and wants to have it covered up rather than removed

He said the tattoo is a permanent reminder of his mistake and makes him feel depressed.  

'When I get dressed I see it and it reminds me how horrible it looks. It reminds me of what an idiot I was getting it,' he said.

Despite regretting the British bulldog design, Richard remains a fan of tattoos and has had several others done since.

He hoped he could have the patriotic picture covered up with another tattoo but he was told for years it wasn't possible as the original was too bold and colourful.

Richard said: 'I have spoken to a couple of tattoo artists and they said it needs to be lasered off but I want it covered up.'

Then he met Spencer Scott, a tattoo artist in his hometown of Rugby who believed he could banish the bulldog without lasers.

The bulldog has now been banished thanks to this colourful rose design by tattooist Spencer Scott

The bulldog has now been banished thanks to this colourful rose design by tattooist Spencer Scott

Explaining his idea, he said: 'A couple of colourful traditional roses and an all seeing eye would work really well to cover it up, along with some blues and purples that tend to cover really well. 

'I will try to keep it as bright as possible and it will take four to five hours.'

In fact, the tattoo took nearly six painful hours but Richard was delighted with the result. 

'It's better than I expected, I will be definitely be wearing a vest again. I just want to show it off,' he said.

Tattoo Disasters is on Spike Tuesdays at 9pm 

 

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