See the special tribute tattoo a South Shields woman is sporting for the Queen

Tattoo artist Laura Baxter tattooed the distinctive image of Queen Elizabeth II on a client at Ink Angel in South Shields following the news Her Majesty had passed away last week at the age of 96.

The woman, who does not wish to be named, says she has admired the Queen from a very young age so felt the tattoo was a fitting tribute for Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.

The Queen image was inked on to her ribs, which is often considered one of the most painful areas to be tattooed.

She said: “Since a very young age I’ve admired her Majesty the Queen. I have nothing but respect for the way she dedicated her life to serving our country. She leaves a legacy which is unlikely to be matched for many generations.

"After her passing I decided to pay tribute to her with a new tattoo which is in a very painful area, the worst place for a tattoo and for an artist to do but Laura has done every tattoo on me so I trusted her to do it. It’s a very famous image of the Queen by the artist Incwel which everyone thinks was Banksy, but it wasn’t.”

The woman added that the South Shields shop, on Burrow Street, is home to ‘lovely, talented’ people and is over the moon with her new tattoo.

Laura, who has been a tattoo artist for two and a half years, said: “It was my first and only Queen tattoo that I’ve done, it took around two hours to do.

"I think it’s a touching tribute and as much as the Queen’s passing is a sad time, it’s also a historical moment so it’s be fantastic to be part of that moment.

"We haven’t had anymore requests for Queen tattoos for the time being but it has been lovely to immerse myself in this one.”

More of Laura’s work can be found on her Facebook page here.