At first glance the man whose face is almost entirely covered in tattoos does not look like someone you would want mentoring your child.

However, Earl Kaufmann, who calls himself The Scary Guy, is on a mission to rid the world of hatred and has helped hundreds of teens all over the planet.

Scary, 51, who originally hails from Tuscon, Arizona, spent Monday at Southlands High School, Clover Road, Chorley setting out to teachers and staff his message of non-violence and showing how disputes can be solved without resorting to conflict.

After a troubled childhood, where he found it difficult to learn to read, Scary became a tattoo artist, adorning his entire body with extreme and aggressive looking art and piercings.

He said: "My mission has always been the total elimination of hate, violence and prejudice worldwide. It's never been anything less than that."

On the fact that he can engage with people's emotions, he says: "I don't have the definitive answers to how and why this works. I have ideas, but the truth is, it's totally irrelevant. What matters is, it works."

Despite being self trained, Scary has been called in by a diverse array of organisations including various social services and last year worked at a secondary school in Lincolnshire in the aftermath of a fatal stabbing.

Brian Souter, acting head at Southlands, said: "Scary gets the undivided attention of the pupils and they listen to what he has to say, he treats them as adults and they respond to him.

"His message is very positive and is one of tolerance and understanding."