A LEOMINSTER dad lost fiveand-a-half stone in less than eight months after watching the autopsy of an obese man on TV.

Daniel Morgan, of Longfield Way, knew he was overweight but was struggling to do anything about it.

“I was a real couch potato, living on the sofa, eating in front of the TV and generally going downhill fast.

I had lost weight before, but personal problems had seen it pile back on,” said the 34-year-old.

It was the combination of a TV programme and a photograph taken at a Christmas party that finally spurred Daniel into action.

“I was watching the Jamie Oliver programme about healthy eating at Christmas last year and they showed the autopsy of a 25-stone bloke – he had died in his late 30s/early 40s because of his unhealthy lifestyle,” said Daniel.

“I realised that at almost 19 stone I wasn’t that far away from being a man on a slab. I couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing my six-year-old son grow up.

“I hadn’t realised just how big I was until I saw a photo of myself at a Christmas party. It was like ‘oh bloody hell, I do need to do something’.”

Daniel joined Rita Graham’s Weight Watchers group and lost 77lbs in seven-and-a-half months.

“He came every week and gradually began to join in the discussions as his confidence levels rose. It really radiates from him now and you can see he’s a different, happier person,” said Rita.

Daniel, who now weighs in at 13 stone four-and-a-half pounds, puts his success down to nothing more than healthy eating and plenty of exercise.

He added that he was thinking of emailing Channel 4 to tell it how inspired he was by its programme.

“I started losing weight at the end of January, I can hardly believe that less than a year on, I look and feel so different,” he said.

For details on Rita’s Leominster slimming class call 08457 123000 or visit weightwatchers.co.uk