Boy left in agony by holiday henna tattoo

A nine-year-old Shropshire boy was left in agony and told he could be scarred for life after getting a henna tattoo on holiday in Gran Canaria.

Owen Rigby, from St Georges in Telford, was enjoying the second last day of his family holiday in the Canary Islands when he decided to get the temporary tattoo of a shark on his arm. He was told the artwork would last a month but days after arriving home the ink began to burn his skin.

It has left him with a permanent imprint of the shark.

Today his mother, Leanne Clennell, called on parents to be wary of holiday tattoos.

She said: "It has been very painful for him. It actually burnt his skin and it has got infected now. I have had to take him to the doctors twice, he was in agony.

"His arm was so hot you could have fried an egg on it.

"It looks awful and I think he will definitely be scarred from it.

"If I knew then what I know now I would never have allowed him to have it done."

Owen had to take time off from Priorslee Primary School because of the pain.

He said: "It was itchy at first and then it started burning me. It is very sore and I think it's going to scar. I feel pretty sad."

Miss Clennell said: "It was done by someone right outside the hotel but I have been told these people put peroxide in the dye to make it last longer. It just looks a mess.

"I would tell parents not to let their children get one, it's just not worth it.

"It was meant to last for 30 days but the dye came off in two or three days, it has caused a lot of heartache."

Owen's grandmother Audrey Clennell, from Madeley, said she was horrified when she saw her grandson's arm.

"I could not believe it, it looks very sore and it just goes to show you can't trust these people who are selling them."

Miss Clennell added: "When you're on holiday you just don't expect this kind of thing to happen.

"He only had it done as a bit of fun but looking at him now he is in a lot of pain.

"I had to take him out of school and he is on antibiotics to treat it."

By Jason Lavan