'Why getting a tattoo means I can wear shorts again'

Martin Smith was seriously injured aged 19 when an acid accident at work left him with heavy scarring on his leg and a lack of confidence.

He said wearing shorts is something he has avoided for more than three decades.

The 50-year-old from Fordingbridge in Hampshire told the BBC: "This year will be the first year I can walk along Bournemouth beach in shorts and not feel self-conscious."

A tattoo has helped him overcome his acid scars and rebuild his confidence so that he feels comfortable wearing shorts which he said "feels massive to me".

He explained he was working in a car factory when a carpet dying pot exploded.

He spent two months in hospital as staff tried to save his leg with "very difficult and painful" skin grafts.

He said the emotional impact lingered far longer than he ever expected.

"I just never felt comfortable with it. People would stare, I would feel self-conscious and like I had to explain myself and what happened to me," Martin said.

He said becoming a dad is his most important role and one he "loves more than anything else".

But like many parents, holidays, spare time and spending money were all about the kids.

Now he has decided, at 50, it was time to do something just for himself.

"I'm not having a midlife crisis, I just realised I've spent most of my life avoiding something that shouldn't be a big deal," he said.

Rather than trying to hide his scar, he chose to reclaim it.

He worked with tattoo artist Archie Cook, owner of Kookie Tattoo Studio in Southampton.

Together they designed a large tattoo that flows with the shape of his leg, covering the area he has struggled with for years.

Martin has been a Liverpool football fan since he was seven and chose the Liver Bird, a mythical creature that is the symbol of the club's badge.

He said: "The image is something personal... not just camouflage. It's about changing how I feel when I look at my leg.

"At 19, I was just grateful to still have my leg... at 50, I'm looking forward to not feeling self-conscious."

Martin said he knows a tattoo is not the answer for everyone, but for him, it represents far more than ink on skin.

"I'm proud to wear shorts and show off my leg now as a Liverpool fan," he added.