DETERMINED dieter Lorraine Lock has lost a third of her body weight – after fearing she may not live to see her children grow up.

The mum-of-two wore size 26 clothes, shied away from the camera and felt embarrassed in public.

Weighing almost 20 stone, Lorraine had endulged in fortnightly Chinese and Indian takeaways, meals out and no exercise.

Mrs Lock, who is mum to Kayley, nine, and Shane, 12, said: “I was a tubby child and I have always had problems with my weight, but it got a lot worse.

“I think having children and looking after a family meant I put myself last and stopped caring.

“When I went out for food, I would have burgers or scampi, real fatty foods.

I used to love a Chinese takeaway, too.

“I still go out, but I know the right way of choosing. Now I would go for fish, vegetables and new potatoes.”

After a year of healthy eating, swimming and regular exercise at her homemade gym, she lost seven stone in weight and feels like a new woman.

She said: “My children pushed me. I was watching them grow up and thinking that I could potentially die at this weight. I was getting out of breath all the time, feeling aches and pains and getting tired a lot. I thought I had to do something about it.

“Now I feel like a different woman and my husband feels like he has a different wife. “I drive my husband mad now asking him to take a picture of me, whereas before I would completely ignore a camera.

“You wouldn’t think I was a member of the family if you look at old holiday snaps.”

Accountant Lorraine, 43, of Keeble Close, Tiptree, was helped in her battle of the bulge by the Slimming World group in Wickham Bishops. Despite now being a healthy 12 and a half stones, she plans to lose more weight and wants to fit into size 14 clothes.

Emma Chapman, who runs the Slimming World group, said: “I am very proud, Lorraine has absolutely dedicated herself to it. Nothing was going to stop her. She is a joy to have in the group.”