A tattoo-mad football fan has had Ben Brereton's face inked onto his stomach, making him an overnight sensation in Chile.

Lewis Hamill, who lives in Oswaldtwistle, got the Blackburn Rovers and Chilean international football player's face tattooed on his belly at Artemis Tattoo Studio in Manchester on Saturday.

And after posting a picture of his new body art on social media, the 26-year-old went viral in South America, and was inundated with requests to appear on Chilean TV and in local newspapers.

The tattoo shows Brereton drinking a can of Pepsi - an image from the TV advertisement he did in Chile.

Lancashire Telegraph: Ben Brerton poses with Lewis Hamill after the 26-year-old had the footballer's face tattooed on his belly

Mr Hamill was even asked by a Chilean TV production company, who are over in the UK filming a documentary about the Rovers striker, to meet them at the club's training camp in Brockhall Village on Tuesday.

Here, they interviewed the dad-of-two, and then made him wait three hours in the cold for the soccer star to appear so he could sign his stomach.

Mr Hamill said: "I'm originally from Blackburn but now live in Oswaldtwistle with my fiancee and two children.

"I was a Rovers season ticket holder when I was younger, and still watch the games, but I wouldn't say I was a massive fan anymore - life gets in the way.

"My mate who runs the tattoo studio owed me a favour so I decided to get Brereton's face on my stomach, I wasn't going to get the can of Pepsi done originally but then I just kind of thought, why not, it would be a laugh.

"I've got the Kray twins on the other side of my belly and because Brereton has the flat cap on in this one it kind of fits in with the other ones nicely."

Lancashire Telegraph: Ben Brerton poses with Lewis Hamill after the 26-year-old had the footballer's face tattooed on his belly

Mr Hamill said a friend then posted an image of his tattoo on a Rovers fan page, and before long he was contacted by a Ben Brereton fan page in Chile.

He said: "Within an hour I had people in Chile posting that I was now an honorary Chilean and people saying how much they loved me.

"And then I was contacted by this production company who asked me to go to Brockhall Village and meet them on Tuesday.

"I was interviewed by CNN in Chile and then TNT Sports, and Pepsi have also commented on it. It's mad."

Lancashire Telegraph: Lewis Hamill appeared on Chilean TVLewis Hamill appeared on Chilean TV

Ben Brereton, or Brereton-Diaz as he is now officially known, became somewhat of a sporting hero in the South American country after qualifying to play for the Chilean international side earlier this year through his mother, who has Chilean roots.

Mr Hamill, whose partner Jess Macneal isn't a fan of tattoos, has two full legs and half his back inked, and said the Brereton artwork would normally have cost him in the region of £450.

Lancashire Telegraph: Ben Brerton poses with Lewis Hamill after the 26-year-old had the footballer's face tattooed on his belly

He added: "When Brereton signed it for me on Tuesday he said he'd already seen a picture of it online but then asked, 'why did you do that?' and I just laughed.

"I now want to be a mascot for Rovers (or Chile, or both), and come onto the pitch holding hands with one of the team.

"It would be embarrassing, but it would be such a laugh, so if anyone can make that happen I'm open to offers."