A SLIMMING group who have collectively shed more than 1,500lb in three meetings are now appealing for men to join up and get fit.

Darwen Weightwatchers, who meet on Thursdays between 5 and 6.30pm at the New Methodist Church, Blackburn Road, has 100 members. Eight have each lost more than 50lb in three meetings in January.

But there's a shortage of men in the group.

Weightwatchers leader Lorraine Jones said: "The group is so popular in Darwen and we do get a lot of people interested.

"Of course these are the busiest times at the moment because people are wanting to work off the weight for the summer.

"We have one or two men in the groups but they tend to be a lot shyer. We want to attract more men because we feel they are missing out on a good thing."