NO less a personality than Peter Andre congratulated a group of Slimming World consultants from Ledbury, on helping slimmers to lose weight and change their lives during 2017.

Members of the team, who run Slimming World groups in Ledbury, say they were delighted to get a chance to 'cuddle up' to the singer and TV presenter, when he presented the annual Slimming World Awards in Birmingham.

The Mysterious Girl singer co-hosted the event with the organisation’s founder and chair Margaret Miles-Bramwell OBE.

Ledbury lady, Maggie Richards said Peter’s presence at the awards was 'extra special' because earlier in 2017 he supported Slimming World’s most successful fundraising event ever – The Big Slimming World Clothes Throw, which raised a record-breaking £3.3 million in just two weeks.

The annual clothes throw encourages Slimming World’s 900,000 group members to donate the clothes, shoes, bags and accessories that are now too big for them to Cancer Research UK, by filling up specially-branded bags and taking them along to their weekly group sessions.

She said: “We couldn’t be prouder of our members. Throughout 2017 they have lost fantastic amounts of weight, with many of them hitting their target weights, improving their health and boosting their confidence.

“We felt very honoured to represent our Slimming World groups at the Slimming World Awards, and cuddling up to Peter was a real treat."

Peter, who set up his own foundation with Cancer Research UK – the Peter Andre Fund – after losing his brother to cancer, said he was thrilled to meet the Slimming World Consultants at the event, which was held recently at Birmingham’s International Convention Centre.

He added: “It was an honour to be invited to present the Slimming World Awards. I met so many incredible people who had lost amazing amounts of weight and transformed themselves – inside and out. While each of them were inspirational in their own special way.

There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that Slimming World and people who run the groups are very special.”