A MAN has lost five stone during his recovery in hospital after suffering from a severe stroke.

Martin Hayes, who weighed twenty-nine stone and was told he would never be able to walk again, lost the weight following a stroke which left him unconscious in March last year.

During his recovery, Mr Hayes decided to try and lose more weight, motivated by the pressure that his weight was putting on his knee, which was already arthritic.

Mr Hayes, aged 59 said: “I didn’t believe the doctors at all. I said to my wife, Linda, ‘they’re talking rubbish and I’ll walk again.’

“I remember lying in hospital and having a long talk with myself about my weight. My knees couldn’t take the weight so I couldn’t stand up, which was affecting my recovery.

“I told my physio that I wanted to lose weight and they gave me a new diet plan and exercises I could do.

“Gradually, I started to lose weight which helped the pressure on my knees and after a lot of work I was able to stand up again.”

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By January 2019, Mr Hayes was walking again.

After leaving a sedentary career in IT, he now wants to help inspire others who have had a stroke and would like to lose weight themselves.

He said: “The biggest light bulb moment for me was when I was told to take control of my own recovery.”

He added: “I want to be the best version of myself possible now, I want to be in the position where I can do anything I want.

“I never felt in control of my own life until now. The first thing you have to get right is your mind set with your recovery, you have to want to change and you will do.

“I’ll never go back to my old career or my old ways. Now I want to help and inspire others who are in the same position I was in, there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

Mr Hayes' stroke was caused by a chest infection and an irregular heartbeat which had led to blood clots.

Following his stroke, he began a seven month stay in hospital and received intensive physiotherapy to help him regain feeling in his left-hand side.

He was a patient at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Evesham Community Hospital and Worcester City Inpatient Unit.