A GRANDMOTHER who lost five and a half stone as an example to her children and grandchildren is helping others to shed the pounds.

Julie Bayliss began gaining weight when she gave up smoking in 1998, and quickly found herself weighing nearly 16 stone and wearing size 22 clothes.

Unhappy with her weight she tried a number of diet plans and frequently shed the pounds before putting them back on again soon after.

She also regularly argued with her adult children about their weight and after a particularly heated row with her daughter decided she had to set an example to them, as well as her two grandchildren, and joined a Slimming World group based in Evesham.

Losing half a stone in the first two weeks she was inspired to start swimming and join the Evesham Vale Running Club to boost her weight loss and is planning on taking part in the Great Birmingham Run half marathon next month and a full marathon next year.

She is now starting her own Slimming World group, which will hold its first meeting at Honeybourne Village Hall on Thursday, September 3, starting at 7pm.

For more information call 07511 518 445.