Tredegar soldier's dad has 30-hour tattoo session to raise cash for troops (From South Wales Argus)

Tredegar soldier's dad has 30-hour tattoo session to raise cash for troops

10:07am Friday 15th February 2013 in News By Keiligh Baker

A SOLDIER’S dad has had an army-themed full sleeve tattoo done in 30 hours to raise money for Help for Heroes.

David Taylor, 46, a factory worker from Tredegar, paid £1,000 of his own money for the tattoo, which was done in 30 hours over the weekend.

Mr Taylor went to Raging Swan tattoo studio in Cardiff and sat for the tattoo from 9am on Friday until midnight, and from 10am on Saturday until midnight.

He said: “It’s looking lovely. It’s a bit sore today, but I’ve got to be honest, it’s looking cracking.”

Mr Taylor’s son Lewis is a gunner in the TA based in Newport.

He has already done a tour of Afghanistan and has volunteered to go again this summer.

Mr Taylor said: “He’s part-time but he has already been out there once and he has volunteered again.

“It was because of that I wanted to do something. All the boys out there do a brilliant job.

“The tattoo shows different parts of the army, iconic images from the Falkands and Afghanistan, a bit of everything.

“Lewis is quite jealous of it because it looks so good.

Everyone has said how good it is.

“Dom, who did the tattoo, was really good about it and shut up the shop and just tattooed me for two days. He knocked about £500 off too, as a tattoo like that would normally cost between £1,500 and £1,800.”

“I just hope we raise enough now.”

Son Lewis, 27, said: “It looks fantastic, very impressive.

When he told me he was having it done in just two days I thought he would reconsider, but he didn’t.

“I’ve got a few tattoos myself and I couldn’t go through that pain for more than an hour or two, so I’m really proud of him.

“I can’t believe he actually went through with it.”

To donate, visit www.bmycharity.com/DavidTaylor1