They used to be considered the symbol of a hard man - but tattoos are hitting an all-time high in the popularity stakes, thanks to celebrities flaunting their body art. We checked out the phenomenon AS recently as 10 years ago many women felt that having a tattoo would lead to them being stereotyped and stigmatised.

It meant you were a rebel, someone who wanted to be seen to defy authority.

But now, thanks to the influx of celebrities such as Victoria Beckham, Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears and Pamela Anderson displaying their tatts with pride, it seems the tradition is more popular than ever.

Getting a tattoo no longer means having blue ink scrawled over your forearm to prove how tough you are. It's now viewed by many as sensual, empowering and a way of showing the world you're a fun, fearless woman.

Tattooing is steadily growing in popularity among women, said Oswaldtwistle tattoo artist Tammy O'Sullivan, who has seven herself, including a life-sized python snaking down her back and over her shoulder.

"Stars are without a doubt the most popular tattoos for women. Nowadays lots of people like them on their feet," said Tammy, 29, who recently opened her Pins & Needles shop in Union Road.

"Names of children or partners are also really popular and I do a lot of delicate things like butterflies and flowers on the ankles.

"I've built my business on the fact that there's a market out there for women who want female tattoo artists. Some women can be intimidated by the stereotypical big biker men. We've made Pins & Needles woman-friendly by having an all-female staff and a plain uniform of black trousers and a black T-shirt, which immediately takes away any preconceptions."

Tammy reckons female tattoos are more popular than ever because women have more freedom to do what they want.

"Women voice their opinions more than ever before," she said. "They do what they want more, without worrying about what men will think."

Many women say their tattoos accentuate their femininity. Lots of female clients are over 30 and seem to want to tell the world they're still young at heart and not ready to be consigned to the "old woman" category quite yet.

When it comes to men's opinions on women with tattoos, the jury is split, said Tammy.

"Some men love them and others hate them," she said.

"It's the same with women. Some women love a man with tattoos, other women find it a turn-off. What's good is that people seem to be becoming more interested in the traditional side of tattooing. They no longer just want something fashionable, they want something meaningful."

Tammy first got into tattooing at the tender age of 13 when she scrawled her nickname on to her wrist with a pin and a pot of Indian ink.

"But that's not something I'd recommend," she laughed.

"I went to college and studied law, criminology and counselling, then I had a little girl and raised her. I trained as a nail technician and almost went into the prison service, but three years ago I realised tattooing and body-piercing was what I wanted to do.

"Everyone asks which parts of the body hurt most to have tattooed, but everyone has different thresholds for pain for different parts of the body. Some will say they find shoulders hurt but for me it was my hand that hurt most. I can't explain the feeling. It doesn't feel like anything else."

Tammy's seven tattoos can all be hidden by clothing and, like many tattoo artists, she refuses to work outside certain boundaries.

"I don't tattoo faces or above the collar line," she said.

"It's a case of each to their own, but a lot of tattoo artists have this rule. I don't want someome to go for a job and not get it because of their tattoos. I don't want to be responsible. If they regret it they'll hate me."

Tammy's biggest tattoo is an on-going work: a life-sized tribute to her pet python Month, which is no longer alive.

"It runs from my shoulder, down my back and I'm getting it extended down my leg. But I've just found out that I'm pregnant so I'll have to wait until next year to get it finished," said Tammy.

"It took seven hours for the head alone, but it's worth it. It's a great likeness."

Tammy also has a lizard on her arm, her partner's name on her foot, a heart on her wrist, her parents' initials on her other wrist and a tribal symbol behind her ear. The only one she regrets is the Winnie the Pooh design on her shoulder.

"Winnie the Pooh has to go. It's an old one that I had done 10 years ago for my daughter's first Christmas, but I have to grow up and so Winnie the Pooh has to go."