Top slimmer Jodie loses seven stones

Bakery worker Jodie Gibney and 25-year-old Hazel Evans, from Nantwich, will go on to represent the Shropshire borders and Mid & South Cheshire area in the regional finals, in Birmingham in October.

The two were crowned at the lavish district final at the Tern Hill Hall Hotel yesterday.

They came out on top against 30 other ladies, some of whom attended county groups in Whitchurch, Oswestry, Telford and Shrewsbury.

They included Heather Rowlinson from Telford, who lost just under seven stone, and Kerry Preece from Shrewsbury, who lost eight stone.

Slimming World team developer Mel Green said the total combined weight loss of all the women was approximately 178 stone and praised them as 'all winners'.

But after a judging process, Mrs Gibney said she was delighted when she was one of two to come out on top. "I was absolutely shocked but I am delighted," she said.

She said she was motivated to lose the weight after being horrified at seeing pictures of herself in a bright green dress.

When she first started attending the group in Broseley run by Verity Hart, she tipped the scales at 16st 5lbs – but today weighs just 9st 6lbs.

Mrs Gibney, of Blythe Close, Broseley, said she weighed 11 stone at the age of 11.

"I had always struggled with my weight right back to when I was 10," she said.

"My son was born prematurely because I was suffering with pre-eclampsia due to my high blood pressure, which was down to my weight. And I had to have an emergency caesarean section with my daughter, who was just 1lb.

"I did it for them really.

"Now I am me again."

Mrs Gibney, who has been married for 10 years, said temptation sometimes came into play working as an assistant in Catherine's Bakery, in High Street, Broseley.

But she insisted she would never go back to the way she was.

"Now I just smell the cakes rather than eat them," she said.