Former soldier Shaun Clark has turned himself into a living memorial to pay his respects to service personnel killed in Afghanistan.  Mr Clark has 383 names of those killed in the line of duty tattooed onto his chest, his back and even one of his legs.

The 45-year-old, who started the practice in 2009, has the new names added each Remembrance Day, beginning at exactly 11am. This year, there were 40 names, which were tattoed onto his leg.  Sadly the list already needs updating - the latest deaths in the conflict will be added next Remembrance Day.

Mr Clark went under the needle last week at Doncaster's Fantasy Studio where artist Kevin Kent worked for two hours adding the names.  The former soldier, now a court security officer, served with the 8th Battalion Light Infantry Regiment from 1989 to 1996. 

He began adding the tattoos on Remembrance Day 2009 when more than 300 names were inked onto his torso. Ever year since then, at the 11th hour on Remembrance Day, he has added the dead from the previous twelve months.  In the process he has managed to raise more than £4,500 for the Help for Heroes charity through sponsorship.

Mr Clark, who lives with his wife Mandy, 44, and  two sons Peter, 22, and 19-year-old Robert in Rossington, Doncaster, admits his family thought he was mad when he started having the tattoos. 

He said: "I have a lot of friends who have served in Afghanistan and some who are over there now.I wanted to do something to keep what is going on over there in people's minds rather than just a sponsored walk or parachute jump or something like that. I had more than 300 names tattooed on my body in 2009. It took more than five hours and it was painful but it was worth it. I added more names the following Remembrance Day and this year another 40 were tattooed on my leg. I have made contingency plans in case I run out of space on my body. If the deaths keep rising, my son Peter will take over for me."

But Shaun said there is a downside to being well-known.

"The only problem is I keep having to take off my shirt to show my tattoos to people. Word has spread over the years and I am asked almost every day to show someone the names" he said. 

'Solicitors at court ask to see them and the other day a judge asked me if he could take a look.'

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