I’m a mum but I’m stuck inside during hot weather because I ‘scare’ children at beach – they ‘stare, point or run off’
BRITAIN’S most tattooed mum has revealed she’s stuck inside during the hot weather as her inkings “scare” children at the beach – who will “stare, point or run off” when they see her.
Melissa Sloan, from Kidderminster, is no stranger to odd remarks from the public and is frequently hitting headlines for her extreme body art.
The mum-of-seven has over 800 tattoos so far.
But as Britain experiences hot weather with temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees, the 45-year-old is steering clear of the crowds.
“I avoid the beach and won’t be going anywhere,” Melissa said.
She added: “Kids stare, point or run off when they see me.
“I think my tattoos scare them and parents will also look at me strangely, so it’s usually an awkward outing that I’d rather avoid.
“My ink confuses most people and I don’t care, this is who I am.
“But even so, it can be tiring to have to be on alert for any negative comments or looks.
“So for my wellbeing, I sometimes avoid things I enjoy, like going to the beach or a public pool when it’s sunny.”
Melissa also has to rely on her partner to do her shopping and perform other simple daily errands.
And she can’t even pop down to the boozer and cool off with a pint in the garden, as she’s not welcome.
The mum said: “Since I’ve been banned from my local pub for life, the beer garden also isn’t an option.
“It’s a sacrifice I accept and my family accept me for who I am – my kids included.
“But I wish I didn’t have to hide my skin because others can’t accept that we don’t all have to look the same.”
Previously dubbed ‘Crayola’, the mum has also struggled to find employment as a result of her ink.
But that isn’t enough to stop her.
She admits to getting up to three new inkings a week.
Melissa has also revealed that she lets her children choose her tattoos in a weekly “lucky dip” and then uses her own tattoo gun to add them to her ever-growing collection.
It comes after a fuming mum slammed a school’s “Victorian-style” uniform policy after her daughter was put in isolation for wearing earrings.
And fans were stunned after they learnt an aspiring tattoo artist used her daughter to test out her designs.