A self-confessed sun worshipper who was diagnosed with skin cancer a year ago has spoken out to warn people about the dangers of sunbeds.

Lorraine Henderson was a regular sunbed user and admits that from the age of 13 she did not use sun cream to protect her skin.

On beach holidays, she would use baby oil to get the deepest tan as she felt that bronzed skin made her look good.

When she noticed a large spot on her face she brushed it off as nothing to worry about but as time went on and it did not fade her friend persuaded her to get it checked out.

The mother of one from Livingston was given the devastating news that the blemish was a form of skin cancer.

Mrs Henderson, 40, has now had surgery to have the growth removed and the ordeal prompted her to post pictures of her face on Facebook to warn people against the dangers.

"I'd go on holiday and get the best tan I could and then come back and really hit the sunbeds to keep my tan up," she said.

Mrs Henderson would go on sunbeds for up to nine minutes at a time, opting for the "high impact" setting to get the best tan she could.

When she discovered the spot about a year ago, she ironically thought that getting more sun would help clear it up.

She said: "I thought it was just a spot on my face. It was coming up to summer and I thought, 'the sun will help clear it up'. But I noticed that it wasn't disappearing."

Mrs Henderson had never anticipated such a serious diagnosis when she went to see a dermatologist.

"[The doctor] took one look at it and that's when he told me 'it's skin cancer'. I was quite taken aback. It hadn't crossed my mind at all."

She took the brave step of posting a picture of her post-surgery scar on Facebook after hearing an advertisement for a tanning salon on the radio.

"For years I have abused the skin, not putting the proper sun cream on from the age of about 13," she told STV.

"Seeing that big scar on my face really hit home about abusing my skin. I don't think there's enough out there about sunbeds."

Mrs Henderson's Facebook post has been shared nearly 3000 times and she has been inundated with messages.

She said: "I didn't realise there was going to be such a frenzy about it. I would just stay clear of sun beds - I'll be wearing factor 50. That's something I've never even done."