Ex-tattoo artist gets Eton job

A shaven-headed former London tattoo artist has been chosen as this year's writer-in-residence at Eton College.

Patience Agbabi, who has worked at Camden's Flamin' Eight Tattoo Studio and as a performance poet, will follow in the footsteps of literary stalwarts including Susan Hill when she takes up her post next week.

Agbabi is unfazed by her appointment.

She said: "I'll be talking about poetry and tattoos to the boys while I'm there. I don't think any subject will be out of bounds - I'm just going to be myself. I don't know if they have ever had anyone like me in their school before. I imagine I'll provide quite a contrast."

Headmaster Tony Little said: "As an old English beak myself I'm very excited about it. We'll be working Patience pretty hard all week, but I think the energy and vitality she'll bring to the school will be fantastic."