WHEN Anthony Sloan walked into Weight Watchers he wasn't their typical client - he was male for a start, 6ft 7in with tattoos and a bleached blond fringe!

He tipped the scales at 20st 8lbs and had decided to shed a few stones by joining his wife Julie at a slimming class at St Mary's Parish Centre, Middlewich.

But the 33-year-old proved he could do just as well, if not better than the women - by losing five stones in just five months to become Cheshire Slimmer of the Year.

And he is now in with a chance of winning the countrywide final.

Anthony, who now weighs in at just 15.5st, said: "The main reason I decided to lose some weight was because of my two-year-old son Anthony.

"He always asked his grandad to play with a ball in the garden and I suppose it really hurt my feelings that he asked his grandad instead of me.

"I was so overweight I didn't play with him as much as I would have liked to.

"So I decided to go to Weight Watchers with my wife but just after I started she became pregnant and stopped going to the class. She didn't think I would stick it out but I did.

"I didn't really mind the fact I was one of the only men there."

He added: "I feel great in myself, I have much more energy now."

Anthony attended the Middlewich class, which is led by Sue Thomason, every Wednesday morning. He followed the Weight Watchers healthy eating plan and took up walking, swimming and going to the gym.

Sue, who has been running slimming classes for 13 years, said: "Anthony lost about 5lb a week and he said he found it quite easy to do.

"I think he's met his target weight but is going on to lose a bit more. He won £100 worth of clothes vouchers for his efforts and could now go on to win £1,500 worth in the countrywide finals.

"We do get a couple of men coming to our classes but there are obviously far more women.

"Anthony is not the typical weight watcher. He has a bleached blond fringe, tattoos and he's a big lad - 6ft 7in. But he's a big softy really.

"I think it's great that he's lost all this weight."

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