Oops! American woman's tattoo to commemorate taking part in London 2012 torch relay is mis-spelled 'OYLMPIC'

• Jerri Paterson, 54, is keeping the tattoo because 'it is as unique as I am'
• She originally paid $10 (£6.40) for the tattoo in her hometown Atlanta, US
• She only realised the mistake when a friend pointed it out after the relay
• Hotel worker carried the torch through Derby on June 30

When charity fundraiser Jerri Peterson was selected as an Olympic torch bearer, she wanted a permanent reminder of the honour.

The 54-year-old hotel worker, from Atlanta, Georgia, took the unusual step of inking the Olympic rings on to her arm along with the words 'Olympic Torch Bearer' above and 'London' underneath.

Unfortunately for Mrs Peterson, her pride soon turned to red-faced shame when the tattoo artist managed to misspell the event as 'Oylmpic' in the permanent memento.

Gaffe: Olympic torch bearer Jerri Peterson had a tattoo on her arm to commemorate her part in the relay, only to find out it was spelt incorrectly

Mrs Peterson, an overseas employee of the British-based Intercontinental Hotels Group, was chosen to take part in the relay for her charity work, along with 70 other international colleagues.

She paid $10 (£6.40) to a 'really good' tattooist for the words 'Olympic Torch Bearer' to be inked above a picture of the Olympic rings two months before her big moment.

 Mrs Peterson was flown over to the East Midlands especially, where she triumphantly carried the torch through Derby on June 30.It was not until after she had successfully carried the flame through the city and sent a photograph of the artwork to a friend that she realised the gaffe.

Mrs Peterson, who lives in the Atlanta suburb of Roswell, told BBC News: 'I always wanted to have a tattoo but I never quite felt passionate about any one thing to have it put on my body permanently,” the charity fundraiser told BBC News.'So when I was selected for this wonderful honour, I thought "that's it - I'm ready to have my tattoo".'

Proud: Jerri (in white, right), from Atlanta in the US, carried the torch through Derby on 30 June after she was selected for her charity work by the hotel chain she worked for

She was initially delighted with the tattoo until she noticed the mistake in the photograph.'I looked at it and I was so disappointed. I called my husband and he giggled a little bit. Then I started laughing about it and I've laughed ever since.'Amazingly, Mrs Peterson has decided to keep the wrongly spelt tattoo on her arm - despite offers from the tattoo artist to remove it - as she says it is 'as unique as I am'.

Controversial artist Tracey Emin carried the Olympic Flame on the Torch Relay leg between Margate and Westgate-On-Sea in Kent today