A COUPLE who were so overweight they were scared for their health have lost 14 and a half stone.

Patricia and Mel Hadfield, of Cranberry Lane in Darwen, began tackling the mammoth challenge back in November 2014.

Mrs Hadfield, 61, weighed more than 17 stone when she joined Weight Watchers and has now lost nearly eight stone.

Mr Hadfield weighed more than 20 stone and has lost around seven stone, with aim of losing a bit more.

Mrs Hadfield put her weight down to constantly eating meals at hotels late at night when she worked away as a human resources manager for Tesco.

She would find herself eating large quantities of bread and full-fat cheese past 9pm most days.

Meanwhile Mr Hadfield continued to make meals big enough for the two of them even though his wife was away and he suffers from diabetes.

Now, Mrs Hadfield has achieved her goal of becoming a size 12 and has had to have her weddings ring changed because it is too big.

She said: “It was my husband who wanted to do this and I said that we should do it together, and I think that has been the secret to our success.

“I have always found it challenging dealing with my weight and I am really embarrassed to have weighed so much.

“Now I feel much better in my clothes and we are being much more active doing things like getting out in the garden and walking lots.

“It’s a massive achievement and it’s a journey I think that we will always be on, as we want to keep this up and not go back to how we were.”

Mr Hadfield, 63, is now only taking one diabetes tablet a day after previously taking four.

The pair now eat soup everyday as well as salads and good proteins such as Quorn and eggs with plenty of vegetables.

After giving birth to her son in 1984, Mrs Hadfield attempted a weight loss programme and reached her goal, but said she went back to eating what she had done before.

Mrs Hadfield said life was much better now they were eating good things at the right times.

She said: “It is very important not just to eat the right food but also have three meals a day.

“I used to skip lunch.” and eat late at night.

“Eating healthy at the right times has made a huge difference and we will keep doing what we are doing.”