Mother-of-three Tricia Marshall, from Norton Lees, has lost 11st 3lb to win tenth place in the Slimming World awards. And taxi driver Mike Smith, from Beighton, topped her achievement and shed 12st 4lb to take eighth place. They both received their awards during a ceremony at the Kensington Roof Gardens in London.

Mike joined the slimming club after a blood clot nearly cost him his life. Doctors had put his increasing breathlessness down to his 33st weight. In fact Mike had deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, caused by a combination of fast-food and long hours behind the wheel of his taxi.

He joined Eckington Slimming World group where leader Lynne Riley says he is a real inspiration to other members.

Tricia, 39, joined the Bradway group in a bid to tackle the weight that was making her life a misery. "I went everywhere by taxi because I was terrified I couldn't squeeze on to the seat of a bus," she says.

"I rarely left the house, only for work or shopping, and if we went to a function like a wedding I'd send Andy, my husband, to the buffet table."

Now things are very different – Tricia, mum to three teenage sons, has dyed her hair blonde with a purple streak and says she is making up for lost time, going out and enjoying herself at every opportunity.