A TATTOO parlour is sharing an urgent warning to parents after receiving reports someone has been tattooing underage children.

Rob Morriss, who owns Studio 9 Body Art, in Queens Road, Southend, said he became aware of the illegal practice when a disgruntled parent contacted the studio.

Rob, who has run the studio for 14 years, said: “We were made aware last Wednesday when a parent rang up asking to speak to Harry.

“Our receptionist is called Harry so we assumed they wanted to speak to him.

It then became apparent that someone using the name Harry had tattooed a 16-year-old girl at her friend’s house and said they worked for Studio 9 but this is categorically not the case.

There’s a con artist using our good reputation to con kids - a reputation which takes years to build but it wouldn’t take long to destroy.

“There have been two we have heard of so far - but that’s just from parents who have found out. How many kids have managed to keep it hidden?”

A second parent also got in touch with the studio and claimed the same thing had happened with their child.

Now the studio is taking steps to make parents aware of the dangers of unlicensed tattoo artists, known as scratchers.

Maisie Bowen, 21, has been working at Studio 9 as their tattoo artist for a year and a half and said the consequences could be life-threatening.

She added: “Young people don’t realise the risk they are exposing themselves to.

“The scratcher could be using low-quality ink or low-quality needles which puts the customer at a massive risk for infections like hepatitis.

"The infections could be lethal if they are not picked up on and treated immediately.

“Tattoo artists are required to have a licence and if you work in a professional establishment, that licence has to be on display.

“The licence proves all your equipment has been checked over and is safe and it also proves you have received the appropriate training to tattoo people safely.”

Mark Flewitt, councillor for public protection, said anyone wishing to tattoo in Southend is required by law to register as a tattoo artist with the local authority.

He added: “Anyone who is not registered, or tattoos an individual under 18 is liable for prosecution.

“We urge anyone with information of unregistered tattoo artists to notify the council, and if it involves under 18s, please also contact the police.”

Rob added: “If this story saves one child from getting an illegal tattoo then it’s done its job. At the end of the day, I think Environmental Health need to be more involved.

“Our studio is cleaner than most hospitals because we have the time to make it that way. If someone is tattooing you at home, there is no way to know the environment is sterile. It needs to be enforced more strictly.”