A Swadlincote company has urged tattoo parlours and beauty salons to donate equipment - after realising their specialist face-masks can be used by frontline NHS staff.

Firefly Tattoo Parlour in Alexandra Road has closed its doors due to the Coronavirus crisis.

But not before making a contribution towards the battle against the disease.

Owner Cheryl Jenkins has donated a box of super-strength face-masks which are used in removal of tattoos by laser to stop long-term lung damage.

One of her customers, who works in the police force, messaged to say that the emergency services were struggling for masks, and asked if she happened to have any spare that could be donated.

Although the laser is more usually used for tattoo removal, the masks are worn in a rejuvenating facial treatment.

That involves carbon paste being lasered from the surface of the skin.

The masks protect from lung damage due to long term exposure to the smoke that is generated.

She said that would not have thought to donate them if she had not had his message, and urges other laser technicians to think about how much value their equipment may have at this time by being made available to the NHS.

These particular masks happened to be specialist equipment, something that she was not aware of until now.

They area far sturdier, but also more expensive at almost £30.

But Cheryl said that while her industry is on hold, other studios and parlours could make similar donations at a time when the country is being asked to pull together.

"It didn't really occur to me until afterwards that they were the best you can get," explained Cheryl, who also runs a parlour of the same name in Ibstock.

"But I can't take any credit for it. I felt bad that I hadn't given them before. But I didn't know.

"I think these are going to be very useful."

Cheryl says there could be other businesses that may be able to donate similar items.

She added: "They could be giving those masks - they're not going to be using them and there are more important things at the moment.

"But there are also beauty shops that might have the same sort of equipment.

'It might jog someone and people can wait for their beauty treatment or laser removal at the moment."

Cheryl explained why the masks offer such good protection.

She added: "The carbon makes a plume and smoke. If you do it a lot, then you're going to be breathing that smoke in.

"The mask protects your lungs from the laser plume.

"They'd be good now as they do mould over your nose and you're not breathing through fabric.

"It's used to stop the long-term effects on the person doing the removal, the customer's only there for a few minutes, not every day."