AN OWL lover from Hoddlesden has had to use laser surgery to get rid of a tattoo on her arm of her favourite animal.

Ashley Toth had always wanted an owl tattoo, but when she saw the finished design she soon realised it wasn’t what she expected.

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The 23-year-old is now urging others to think before they ink after her dream tattoo turned into a nightmare.

She said: “I’d wanted a tattoo of an owl for many years.

“They were my mum’s favourite animal and they’re mine, so I knew that no matter what, it would always mean something to me.

“I spent months and months searching for the perfect owl and after failing to find one that I liked, I asked a tattoo artist to design one for me.”

The first time Ashley saw the design was the night before her tattoo appointment.

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“I wasn’t 100 percent sure of it,” she said, “but I told myself it was just nerves about getting it done.”

Ashley had her tattoo in April last year but, as time went by, she began to feel that it was too big and, even though she liked the design, she wished the tattoo was smaller.

In the end she went to Laserase Bolton to solve the problem.

Located in the grounds of the Royal Bolton Hospital, Laserase is one of the leading laser clinics in the North West and has been using lasers to remove tattoos for over 21 years.

Ashley said: “I have been having laser tattoo removal treatment regularly for the last seven months and I am already seeing good results.

“The tattoo has started to fade and looks a lot less obvious now.

“The staff at Laserase Bolton were all friendly and knowledgeable and I really felt put at ease by the nurse delivering my treatment.

“The standards are excellent and I would recommend the clinic to anyone.”

Ashley is now warning other people to think carefully before they get a tattoo done.

She said: “Make sure the design is what you want and find out exactly how big the tattoo will be.

“If you need time to think about it before you go ahead, then don’t be afraid to tell the tattooist.

“Whatever happens, don’t be pressured into anything.”

Tattooing has been practised since at least Neolithic times, as evidenced by mummified preserved skin, ancient art, and the archaeological record. The oldest discovery was found on the upper lip of a Chinchorro culture mummy from South America, dating to 6000 BC.