Ink-obsessed man spends £10k covering entire body in tattoos - even his privates

18 April 2024 , 13:00

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Ray has no regrets about his tattoos - and say they make him look younger (Image: Ray Houghton / SWNS)

A 67-year-old has spent almost 300 hours getting every single inch of his body tattooed.

In fact, Ray Houghton has forked out an eye-watering £10,000 over 34 tattoo sessions and only has one cheek left un-inked (on his face - get your mind out of the gutter). The bodybuilder, from Manchester, says he is now bombarded with people requesting to see his tatted privates - which was one of his most painful experiences.

For five hours, Ray had to wrap his penis around a rolling pin whilst artists decorated it, while his testicles ended up 'swelling up to four times their normal' size. "I just had to bite my lip the whole time," he recalled.

Every single inch of him is tattooed (Ray Houghton / SWNS)

The gym owner says '95 per cent' of his body is inked (Ray Houghton / SWNS)

The father of one has no regrets when it comes to turning his body into a canvas of art, adding: "I'm now about 95 per cent covered. I absolutely love all my tattoos, it's the best decision I ever made."

He credits his tats for making him look younger, claiming he is often mistaken for being under the age of 50 as the ink hides his 'varicose veins' and 'wrinkles'. "I feel like a celebrity and I love people staring at me'' Ray added. ''I probably get 30 messages a day on Facebook from people asking to see my penis tattoo, though it's mainly men!"

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The bodybuilder has lived in Spain for the last 30 years (Ray Houghton / SWNS)

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Now living in Alicante, Spain, Ray is somewhat of a local celeb. Just the other day he popped into the chemist to buy numbing cream ahead of his next tattoo appointment and a staff member said: "Oh, you're having more tattoos? I thought you were fully covered."

"I thought 'how does she know me?'" Ray added. This month, the gym owner plans to get more of his thighs inked with his trademark Maori pattern.

Ray wasn't always covered in tats (Ray Houghton / SWNS)

Of course, Ray wasn't always covered in artwork. When he was a teen in the Royal Artillery he only had eight tattoos that he described as 'embarrassing' including a boat, the word's 'mum' and 'dad', a naked woman, and a Geisha. But getting these covered up was what led the gym owner to become obsessed with getting inked

George Mathias