Super Shrewsbury slimmer Peter loses 20 STONE in weight

At his heaviest Peter Warren, 35, of Hanwood, near Shrewsbury, tipped the scales at a 32 stone and rarely socialised due to his 66-inch waistline.

Diagnosed with sleep apnoea and suffering depression, Mr Warren was referred to The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, with a view to having a gastric bypass to help him shed the fat and reclaim his self-belief.

That was nine months ago and Mr Warren, a staff nurse in the Lingen Davies Centre at The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, is now just 12 stone. Since the operation in July last year he has climbed Snowdon five times and started playing cricket again for his local village club, Pontesbury.

He said: "Throughout my late teens I was a fit and healthy person. But I had an Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury when I was 21 and my weight escalated.

"It was becoming the norm that my weight matched that of my age and with that came depression. I stopped going out and was always saying 'no' to my friends and family, using my weight as an excuse.

"I would have five takeaways a week and could easily sink 20 pints of beer. A typical meal would consist of one large meal plus three extra portions of fries, an additional two double cheeseburgers, 20 chicken nuggets and two milkshakes. But I was never full and an hour later I'd eat a large bag of crisps or a tub of ice cream."

Since having the gastric bypass, Peter only eats small portions of food before feeling full.

He added: "I never had the feeling of being full before the operation but I have now regained control of my life.

"I now eat little and often. For breakfast I might have a homemade smoothie, followed by some carrot and cucumber sticks as a snack before lunch. For lunch I generally opt for couscous while my evening meal is nearly always fish, cod or salmon, with roasted vegetables.

"My fitness levels are also much better. I am playing cricket again and going to the gym three times a week.

"I have regained a lot of my old confidence. I now wear 34 inch trousers and have ditched the 8XL size tops.

"Because I work at the Trust people say 'the NHS must be proud of you' but I respond that I am proud of the NHS. I have been given a second chance at life. Just being able to go home and walk the dog or go on holiday without having to ask for the seatbelt extension is massive for me.

"I now say 'yes' to people, I no longer hide behind my weight and it is all down to the Bariatric Surgery team at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust."

John Loy, consultant Bariatric surgeon, said: "It has been a real privilege to be a part of Peter's weight loss journey. He has shown what can be achieved through motivation to change along with having a gastric bypass.

"He's an inspirational man and it's really very rewarding to be a part of his success story."