A Maidstone man has had a bit of shady local history tattooed on to his body after responding to a social media appeal.

Alfie Puxley had the Kray twins inked on his arm by Sittingbourne artist Alex Crook at the Great British Tattoo Show.

The design was named runner-up in the Best of British category at the 300-artist convention.

It features Reggie and Ronnie under the headline Guilty of Murder, next to a gun and a sign for The Blind Beggar, where Ronnie shot rival George Cornell in 1966.

Reggie murdered Jack “The Hat” McVite in a frenzied knife attack the following year.

The brothers were convicted of both murders and Reggie served eight years of his life-term at Maidstone prison.

Mr Crook, 32, is a Krays enthusiast and posted the distinctive sketch online in the hope a like-minded individual would respond to his appeal to have it applied.

Mr Puxley, 24, who already had American gangsters on his left arm, answered that call and went under the needle for 14 hours over two days at Alexandra Palace last month.

Mr Crook discovered tattooing by chance in 2011 when he was encouraged to have a go with a tattoo machine but has never looked back and has taken requests including children’s handprints, vintage cars and memorials for dead pets.

This year was the first time he had entered the competition. Upcoming appearances include Tattoo Jam in Doncaster in August and the Cariad Ink Tattoo Festival in Wales in December.