SHOW OF SUPPORT: "We wanted Honey-Rae to feel special, that her birthmark was something to feel proud of and not embarrassed by."

Many parents want their children to feel special, but few go to the lengths of a four-hour session in a tattooist's chair to ensure it.

But for British couple Tanya and Adam Phillips, getting permanently inked was "the natural thing" to do to make sure their toddler didn't feel different due to a large birthmark that covers half her body.

The pair, from Grimsby, had the same bright-red design tattooed down their entire leg to make sure their 18-month-old daughter knew how much they loved and supported her.

WORTH THE PAIN: The 18-month-old with her parents Tanya and Adam Phillips.

"We wanted Honey-Rae to feel special, that her birthmark was something to feel proud of and not embarrassed by," Tanya Phillips told UK newspaper The Mirror.

The mum of four admits the tattoo looks a little garish, but she was determined to take a stand after she noticed a couple whispering about her daughter's blemish when she wore a pair of shorts.

"It confirmed all my worries and fears. People are cruel without even realising. And I knew if adults could be that insensitive, then kids at school would also be unintentionally mean," she said.

PERMANENT MARK OF THEIR LOVE: Honey-Rae, with dad Adam, touches her parents' matching tattoos and smiles.

The procedure may have been painful, but the couple say it was worth it.

Their daughter, who Tanya says she doesn't want people to pity, now constantly touches her parents' tattoos and then strokes her birthmark, smiling.

"Some people will says it odd and think what we've done is quite extreme, but in our eyes all we have done is ensure Honey-Rae never feels different. Mummy and Daddy now have the same permanent markings as she does."

Hat tip: The Mirror

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