'I travelled 4,500 miles to get a Coventry tattoo'

Mark Rushworth got a tattoo in homage to Coventry, the city where he was brought up

A man has travelled more than 4,500 miles (7,200 km) to get a tattoo paying tribute to his home city of Coventry and its football club.

Mark Rushworth moved to the US in 2007 and lives in Colorado, but on a visit back to the West Midlands he got a tattoo featuring the three spires and the city's coat of arms.

It came about after he contacted Walsgrave-based tattoo artist Red Riz.

"Love her personality, loved her sense of humour and that was what really drew me to reach out to her," he said.

"There were Coventry City badges with the three spires, there were a few different designs, and when I looked at what she'd got on her site it just blew me away, of how incredible she was."

Mr Rushworth still remembers Coventry fondly, despite moving to the US almost 20 years ago

He explained: "I'd looked at various designs – the Locarno [dance hall] where my parents met, the great bands and singers of Coventry."

But it was seeing Red Riz's designs earlier this year that really inspired him.

He added quite a lot had changed in the city, in the years since he moved away.

He singled out the Coventry Music Museum as one of the positive additions.

"I miss the city, I miss the history – I'm a huge history buff. I love walking round the old cathedral, round Bayley Lane. I miss the pubs, the pub culture."

He also praised the cities restaurants, especially the curry houses.

"It's my city, and I love it."