Candidates wanting to join the police are being asked to submit photographs showing any tattoos they have - even if they are in intimate areas.

Current rules mean hopefuls wanting to join the force are barred if they have inked designs which are deemed inappropriate or offensive.

Some forces only allow tattoos if they can be hidden from view while on duty, while others permit designs on the arms but not on the neck or face.

But applicants wanting to join some forces are being asked to declare all tattoos wherever they are on the body and submit two photographs of the design for consideration.

Among the forces that ask for photographs of all tattoos are Kent, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire.

According to South Yorkshire's Appearance and Standards Policy, having a tattoo does not automatically prevent someone from successfully becoming an officer, but each design has to be assessed by senior officers.