GRANDAD Alan Barnes doesn't mind being called the biggest loser in town - in fact he takes it as a compliment.

He's almost 'half' the man he used to be after shedding five stone, but he's not finished yet as he plans to lose another stone to get down to his goal of 11st 10lbs.

Alan, of Lydgate, Burnley, has kept a suit he wore for a wedding in July 1999 when he tipped the scales at 17st 10lbs.

He said: "I kept it so when I get right down I will be put it on - with a belt at the waist!

"I have always had a weight problem and I had not realised I had got so big. I must have been over 16 stone for probably for the last five years.

"The doctor's had told me that I had to lose weight but I could not get my head round it.

"I suffer from arthritis and before I lost the weight I was finding it difficult to walk around and I was facing the fact I was going to have ill health.

"It started worrying me when I got to 55 and 56 because my dad died of osteoporosis when I was 58.

"I have actually gone back and am wearing some of the clothes which I wore in the 1980s like a leather jacket and some shirts!"

Alan, 57, a self-employed joiner, was persuaded to join the class organised by Slimming World at the Centre Spot at Burnley Football Club by a fellow parishioner at St Cuthbert's Church, Vi Martin.

He said: "I was at a dance at the church and she said she was going back to the club because she had put some weight back on but said she wanted some moral support and I agreed to go with her. I think it was a ploy to get me to go.

"I have a lot to thank her for. My grandchildren are seven and four and they think it's lovely. They like grandad not having a big belly!"

At the club's annual awards Alan was awarded the title of the biggest loser having beaten all the women to losing the most weight in the year.

Club co-ordinator Joan Downey, from Waterfoot, said: "See - men can do it too!"

Alan said: "I lost my first stone in two weeks and I didn't look back after that. The most difficult thing was to change was my lunches because I love pies and chips.

"It is not really hard if you are prepared to stick to the eating plan and you get a lot of support from the other people at the club and the organisers if one week you put on weight and can't work out why.

"If anyone wants to lose weight I would recommend they join."

Slimming World meets every Monday at 6.30pm.