'It's the ultimate tribute': Son has late father's ASHES tattooed onto his arm
William Mullane made sure his late father is always with him - by having his ashes mixed into the ink used on his tattoo
A grieving tattoo fan came up with a unique way of marking his father's death - by having his ashes inked onto his arm.
When William Mullane's father, William Snr, passed away aged 73 on Christmas Day, the 21-year-old wanted to pay his dad the ultimate tribute.
So to make sure his father always remained by his side he had his portrait tattooed on to his right arm - with his dad's ashes mixed in to the ink.
After the seven-hours it took for the portrait of William Snr, from his wedding day, his son says he is 'delighted' with the result.
The proud son said: 'I was very close to my dad and this way he will always be with me. He will literally be with me forever.
'I had photographs of him but I can't have them with me all the time.
'We had an excellent relationship and I was with him every day in the last few months of his life.'
William Snr., a retired delivery driver, passed away after a four month battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which had spread throughout his lungs.
During that time William spent his days by his father's side while working night time shifts to keep the money coming in.
The family's heartache was compounded by the death of William Snr's mother-in-law Peggy Dorey, aged 90, from cancer.
William's mother Maria, 57, a Waitrose cashier, was so heartbroken the dutiful son decided to have the tattoo done as a tribute from the whole family.
Loving husband and father William Snr, from Wapping, London, had two other children, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
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His ashes were ground into an ink paste at the Inkfish Studio in Maidstone, Kent, which then carried out the agreed sketch on William's right upper arm.
Expert tattooist Brendan Mudd admitted revealed William's design was the first time he had been asked to use someone's ashes in his tattoo ink.
Mr Mudd said: 'It is a tiny bit of extra work for me to mash up the ashes, but that is all. I feel quite flattered and honoured to help people with these kind of memorials.'