But for one brave Bathgate dancer, getting the body art turned into a family event.

Despite being bedridden for almost a year, 21-year-old Rebecca Heigh was determined to let her star quality shine through, by getting a shooting star tattoo and persuading family and friends to do the same.

Her mother, Allison, said: "It started off with Rebecca teasing her uncle, saying 'will you get a star tattoo for me?' and the next time she saw him he had it done. She said if he could do it, why couldn't we? So we did.

"We all got star tattoos because she was our shining star."

Six members of Rebecca's family, including her parents, brothers Laurie, 26, and Paul, 24, and sister Rachel, 17, went under the needle together at Rachel House Hospice in Kinross before she tragically passed away in June.

Rebecca's dad, Ian, who works as manager of the Forth Bridge for Network Rail, said: "She loved the idea of stars, especially shooting stars, and being a star on stage. Six of us got them on the day, but it must be into dozens now – all her pals have got them done."

Family friend Suzy Grierson was among those to get a star tattoo for Rebecca.

She said: "I had never in my wildest dreams thought I would get a tattoo but it was something Rebecca had asked. It was worth it to see her face.

"They are all something to do with a star and it brought a smile to her face to see the different ones everyone was getting."

Rebecca was an instructor at Hazel Saunders Dance School in Bathgate, where she had developed her passion for dancing since the age of five. She started complaining of pains in her shoulder on her 21st birthday a year ago. Within two days of going into hospital last November, what doctors later diagnosed as a spinal tumour had left her paralysed.

The former Bathgate Academy pupil was moved to Rachel House Children's Hospice in April, where she spent the last ten weeks of her life.

The family have praised the staff at the hospice, who even helped them host a cocktail party in Rebecca's room and brought puppies and even a horse to visit the animal lover.

Mr Heigh said: "They really go out of their way to make the very most of the time you have left.

"Rachel House is traditionally for children but we had a look at it and it was spot on for Becs and it was agreed by the board.

"They were just incredible."

Mrs Heigh said she was told the hospice, which is a registered charity, could not afford to provide Sky television in all the rooms.

Having worked at Sky in Livingston for the past 14 years, she decided to find out if her employer could do anything to help.

Rachel House had three Sky boxes installed, so last month the company installed a further seven digiboxes and each bedroom now has free access to all Sky channels.

Sue Hogg, director of care at Rachel House, said: "We are extremely grateful to Allison, Ian and Sky for this generous donation.

"It will give the young people and families who use our hospice services the opportunity to relax and watch all their favourite TV programmes and films on Sky. It will also be great for the children and young people who are less mobile, as they will now be able to watch TV from the comfort of their own bedrooms in the hospice.

"This is a lovely tribute to Rebecca."

Mr Heigh added: "I'm not finished yet. We'll see what else we can do for them."