A TATTOO artist from Cumbria has been named the country's most talented.

Luke Sayer showcased his skills to be crowned E4's Tattoo Artist of the Year last week as the six part TV series came to an end.

The 24-year-old, who grew up in Penrith and now lives in Grange, saw off competition from nine other professionals to take the title.

He was crowned champion after beating Simon ‘Cookie’ Cooke and JJ Jackson in the final.

He said: "It was very tough, probably the toughest thing I've ever done.

"I think it is just because everything you do is in the limelight and gets put out there for everyone to see on TV.

"The other artists were very good too, so it was a real battle all the way.

"It still hasn't sunk in yet, it's a crazy feeling. I'm just overwhelmed by the local support and people who stop me everywhere I go."

Judging their creative eye and talent are Jay Hutton and Rose Hardy, both accomplished and successful tattoo artists with very different styles.

Across the series tattoo artists competed to take each other on in a host of tasks, designed to test their inking ability.

The show challenged Mr

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The show challenged Mr Sayer to push himself out of his speciality of black and grey realism.

He said: "By far the hardest tattoo I think I've ever had to do came on the show.

"I had to do a Greggs steak bake onto someone's leg in full colour.

"Then for the last challenge we all brought down our own clients and were free to tattoo them how we liked.

"My client collects my tattoos and she's like a walking portfolio of my work.

"She was pretty open to what she got and I just went crazy with the design and made a hand holding a tattoo machine."

Mr Sayer, who works at Samsara Custom Tattoo in Kendal, has been tattooing for five years.

The rising star was in-demand before his appearance on the E4 show.

He said: "I was already booked up a year in advance before the show, but after it has just been crazy.

"I'm just trying to find time to accommodate people. I open my books a year at a time and last year I was all booked up within a week.

"I'm going to open next year's in July so we'll see how quickly it goes then."

Mr Sayer lists the world's most pierced woman, Elaine Davidson, and celebrities Matthew Pritchard and Geordie Shore star Gaz Beadle among the famous faces to have sat in his chair.