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Mamadou Sakho loved a portrait which had been produced of him so much, he invited the local artist round to his house and has had the image reproduced on his shin pads.

John Charles, 33, from Halewood, turned to art as an escape from drink and drugs problems five years ago.

And he has hailed Liverpool star Sakho for an experience he and six year-old daughter Emmy “will never forget.”

John, originally from Kirkby, explained: “Without going into too much detail, I had a life ruined by drink and drugs since the age of 16, I’m 33 now and I’ve been clean and sober for just over five years, which is when I started my art career.

“Art helped me enormously. It’s my escape. In the past I would turn to drink and drugs and people wouldn’t see me for days on end. Now I just paint.”

And he paints very successfully.

John sells his paintings now after taking up art almost by accident.

He explained: “I’ve always liked drawing since I was a kid but I finished school at 15 and never painted until five years ago.

“Even that was by chance. I’d had an operation on my nose and while I was recovering my wife’s dad handed me some canvas, some paint and brushes and said ‘Why don’t you have a go?’

“I did - and people on Facebook left some nice comments so I sold a few and I thought ‘This is a bit mad this!’

“Then it escalated.

“A year-and-a-half ago a painting I did with a palette knife rather than a brush was accepted into the St Helens World of Glass Exhibition. It was the Liver Building, but I called it the Bird Castle because that’s what my daughter Emmy thought it was.

“I used the same technique for the Mamadou Sakho painting.

“Then I saw that he had retweeted it on Twitter before one of my mates, who knows him, got in touch and said he liked it so much did I want to pop round to his house and meet him!

“I couldn’t believe it. But he was such a nice guy.

“It was a huge moment for me. He’s helped me further my art career and boost my profile to another level.

“And he gave my little girl a memory she will never forget for the rest of her life.”

Following on from their visit to Sakho’s home, John has now been asked if he would like to use his art to help Sakho’s AMSAK charity, an association which comprises numerous contributors and partners who work together to support and develop a variety of projects.

“I was thrilled to be asked and it’s a true honour,” added John, who also revealed that Sakho loved his portrait so much he has used it on a pair of customised shin pads he has had made.

“He’s customised his shin pads so that the left one has his wife and kids and the other has him in his France kit, his Liverpool kit and then my image!

“It’s incredible and I can’t thank Mamadou enough for his support.”