Yorkshire's best tattoo unveiled - and the inspiring story behind it

His tattoo has been voted the best in Yorkshire - and now Huddersfield man James Cairns has told the heart-wrenching tale which inspired the design.

The gorgeous tattoo, featuring a black-and-white helicopter surrounded by vibrant red poppies, was voted to be the best in Yorkshire after being picked from a shortlist of 20.

Last week, Yorkshire Live held a vote featuring tattoos from our readers across Yorkshire, which each have their own significant meanings and stories to tell. However, there could be only one winner, and with double the votes of second place, with 75 votes overall, James Cairns' tattoo came out on top.

READ MORE: Cast your vote! We've shortlisted 20 of Yorkshire's best tattoos but now it's time to pick a winner

READ MORE: All the ways to tell someone is from Huddersfield without saying it

But there's so much more to the ink than, well, ink. James explained that the design is actually based on the helicopter which saved his life while serving in Afghanistan in 2011. He had been shot and seriously wounded.

He said: "The RAF said they couldn't come and get me because it was too dangerous, because there was firefighting going on.

"There was risk that the helicopter, obviously, could get blown up. So I was on the ground, in a lot of pain and stuff and then the Americans came on the radio and said 'we'll come in and get him'."

James lost his leg in the conflict but kept his life, and dedicated part of his arm to the people who saved him. The helicopter tattoo also forms part of a sleeve on his arm which is dedicated to his time in the military.

On his hand he has a tattoo which reads 'Lest we Forget', which also pictures soldiers stood over a grave. Further up his arm he has a tattoo of his Afghanistan medal and a tattoo of his cap badge.

Then, on his forearm he has the Help for Heroes logo and the date he was shot in Afghanistan. Most of this is then surrounded by poppies.

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He has one space left on his arm, which he plans to dedicate to his time in the Invictus Games, which he will be competing in next year in Canada. James will be competing for medals in wheelchair basketball, swimming, biathlon and skeleton.

To all those who voted for his tattoo to win the competition, he said: "Thank you very much everyone who voted for me. I really appreciate it.

"It shows that people do care because, obviously, its a meaningful tattoo to me and I'm very touched by it."