Theresa Lancaster, 49, from Cavenham, joined Slimming World at Moreton Hall Community Centre after seeing an advertisement at her doctors. The mother of two lost five stone within the first six months. She wed David, her partner of more than 12 years, in a register office on Tuesday before attending a reception at The Linden Tree, in Bury St Edmunds.

David, 51, said: "She's disappearing before my very eyes - I wouldn't have dared tell her she needed to lose weight but she's much happier now she has."

Theresa said: "I was horrified at how much I weighed, my clothes were getting tighter and tighter. I joined Slimming World and lost seven pounds in the first week. I started winning slimmer of the week and slimmer of the month and I got so much encouragement from the people there."

Ten of the wedding guests were fellow Slimming World members who, between them, have lost more than 30 stone.

Alison Keast, 54, said: "Theresa's not the same person - she's so much happier and she looks much younger. To hear that she was finally getting married was lovely."

Carol Starr, Slimming World consultant, said: "She finally said I feel so good about myself that I'm going to do it."

Click here to go back to our main news index.