A devastated mother-of-five from the UK says she faces having her foot amputated after a tattoo she received while on holiday in Turkey became extremely infected, The Mirror reports.

Kirsty Griffiths, 34, arrived in Marmaris, Turkey, for a week-long sun-soaked stay with her family at the plush four-star Mirage World Hotel on October 25.

The excited mom had decided to use the opportunity to get some new ink, and booked an appointment to get a new arm sleeve tattoo with her regular salon before jetting off.

After the initial piece was completed, Kirsty made a spur-of-the-moment decision to get an existing design on her right ankle covered with a new tattoo at a salon operating out of a rented outlet in the hotel. Despite vomiting and nearly passing out during the two-hour appointment on October 31, she was happy with the piece, but she was left horrified the following morning.

While she put down her difficulties during the appointment to low blood sugar, Kirsty woke to find her leg had "doubled" in size.

Kirsty said she spent her four-hour flight home in agony and was rushed straight to a hospital after landing at Manchester Airport on November 1.

Blood tests reportedly revealed Kirsty had cellulitis in her ankle that had caused inflammation in her gallbladder and stomach, and the mum claims a surgeon feared her foot would have to be amputated.

She believes the infection was caused by the tattooist putting the needle in too deep. But the studio argues it was because she covered the tattoo with a sock and used chemical numbing cream.

Kirsty is now raising awareness of her experience and says it has put her off getting another tattoo for life.