Queens Park Rangers striker Jay Bothroyd has been urged to apologise for having weapons tattooed on his body.

The 30-year-old posted a photo online showing a pistol, grenade, flick-knife and machine gun inked down the left side of his torso spelling out the word 'love'.

"The meaning is you have to fight for love," The Sun quotes Bothroyd as saying. "It reads 'love' if some people can't see. More than anything it's artistic."

While the 30-year-old believes that there is no problem with the artwork, the father of Damilola Taylor, who was stabbed to death in 2000, Richard believes that the player needs to apologise.

"Jay Bothroyd is supposed to be a role model to young people but he should be ashamed of his actions," Taylor told the newspaper. "He must immediately apologise for the offence caused."

Bothroyd has been a QPR player since 2011.