A GRANDMOTHER shed more than five stone after fearing she would not fit into the aeroplane seat on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Florida with her seriously ill grandson.

A year ago, the Evening News reported how little Jordan Gibson, now aged four, had been diagnosed with acute lymphatic leukaemia - a cancer of the immune system.

The story pulled the heartstrings of Evening News readers, and they, together with Worcester firefighters, raised more than £3,000 to fund a trip to Disney World for Jordan and his family, including his gran, Judy Tonks.

At 21 stone, Judy's elation at the trip soon turned to panic. I was so afraid that I wouldn't fit into the seat on the plane that it spurred me to do something about it," said Judy, aged 50, of Elmdale Road, Claines, near Worcester.

Judy lost more than a stone by herself, but started struggling so joined Weight Watchers.

Now, seven months on, she has shed a further four stone by cutting out cakes and biscuits and walking four miles every day.

She weighs 16 stone and hopes to lose another six stone.

And she sighed with relief when she boarded the plane to Florida in October - and fitted comfortably into her seat.

Now Judy has urged others to follow suit, backing the calls of a county health chief who today pleaded with overweight residents to fight the flab.

Just do it

"I'd say go to Weight Watchers, get support and just do it," she said.

"I hated being so big. It made me feel really down and I knew it was killing me."

She said Jordan, who is still receiving daily chemotherapy, says a big "thank you" to everyone who helped make his Disney dreams come true - and inadvertently helped transform Judy into a new woman.

"Jordan loved every minute of it. The best moment for me was when we sat together in a small seat on one of the rides in Disney World," she said.

"I saw other people being refused to get on because they were too big, so when we both fitted in together it gave me such a buzz.

Fat county costs NHS Trust £20m in one year

A HEALTH chief has urged overweight county residents to make fighting the flab their New Year's resolution after revealing the true "frightening" cost of obesity.

In a radical and desperate move, Mike Ridley, chief executive of South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust, made the impassioned plea after announcing that obesity cost the trust £20m last year alone.

The huge sum was paid out to treat heart disease, cancer and diabetes sufferers whose condition was caused by obesity, said Mr Ridley.

And an estimated 120,000 people living in South Worcestershire, which includes Worcester, Malvern, Droitwich, Pershore and Evesham, are clinically overweight or obese - a figure which must be radically slashed, added Mr Ridley.

He said the "epidemic" was putting an extra strain on an already pressurised county health economy and results in limited resources being spent on a situation that could be avoided if people got off their couches and started exercising.

"We always try to invest the £280m we get each year to make sure health services offer the best possible treatment and care available," he said.

"But everyone knows even that amount has its limits. And equally, everyone knows someone who has had to wait longer than necessary or hasn't had exactly the treatment they were hoping for.

"My job is also to try to be pro-active and make sure people don't need health care, if it can be avoided, by encouraging them to be healthy and therefore leaving money to be invested for the people who do.

"Nearly half of the South Worcestershire population is overweight and, quite frankly, that's frightening. It's having a massive impact, taking up the time and resources of the whole health care sector, from GPs to hospitals."

He urged people to get fit, adding: "I don't want to be a killjoy at a time of the year that I know people tend to overindulge. I am saying enjoy your Christmas in moderation and make your New Year resolution to lead a healthy life-style."

He said losing weight does not necessarily mean radical changes, simply buying more fruit and vegetables, taking long walks and using your cars less could help.

Walk your way to better health

PEOPLE in poor health and who do little exercise are being urged to start walking - because it could save their lives.

The Walking Network is now ensuring that a national initiative called Walking the Way to Health is being implemented across South Worcestershire.

It is a joint initiative by the British Heart Foundation and the Countryside Agency in a bid to combat obesity and ill health, said a South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust spokeswoman.

"People who do little exercise are being encouraged to walk to benefit their health," she added.

"Health walks are purposeful, brisk walks undertaken on a regular basis."

She said walking can help reduce the risk of heart disease, strokes, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, bowel cancer and osteoporosis, as well as reducing stress, anxiety, and even loneliness.

"Best of all, you can walk

from home, you don't need

special clothing or equipment, and it doesn't cost anything,"

she added.

There are currently two health walks groups in South Worcestershire.

Worcester Healthy Walking Group meets every Wednesday at University College Worcester, between 9.30am and 11am. For information, call Hayden Jarrett on 01905 855227.

Sole Mates is based in Malvern. For an up-to-date programme of walks contact Mercy Augier on 01684 567468.

Plans to set up a group in Tenbury Wells are underway and for information about when it will start, contact Myrte Elbers at South Worcestershire PCT on 01905 733148.

In the Wychavon area, an information pack about the healthy benefits of walking is available. It can be obtained by calling Jem Teal at Wychavon District Council on 01386 565235.

n For more about the national initiative and the advantages of exercise look at the Walking the Way to Health website at www.whi.org.uk