TWO pals hope to lose weight and pile on the pounds at the same time with a sponsored slim.

Mitchell Lord and Winnie Green, weigh more than 35 stones together but home to shed at least 13 of them in the next three months to raise cash for the special care baby unit at Burnley General Hospital.

They became pals after Mitchell struck up a friendship with Winnie and her husband Richard when they met at Burnley bus station cafe.

Now the dieting duo are planning to stick to a tough new regime.

Sponsorship forms have been posted in the cafe for customers to pledge support.

At a weigh-in at the weekend Mitchell, 63, hit the scales at a fraction under 24 stones -- even though he has already lost almost four stones.

Winnie, 46, tipped the scales at 13st 11lbs.

Mitchell who lives in Browsholme Avenue, Burnley, worked as a miner at Copy Pit, Deerplay and Bank Hall. He said: "Then I was fighting fit but now I suffer from arthritis and angina and my weight has shot up.

"I have lost four stones but now I am stuck at just under 24. I want to get down to 15 stone."

Winnie is also overweight at 13st 11lbs and wants to shed the three stones 11 lbs by their target date three months from now.

Winnie, of Sandhurst Street, Burnley, used to work as a care assistant at Burnley General Hospital.

She said: "My daughter was 8lb 10oz when she was born but she finished up in the baby unit because of the drugs I had been taking for blood pressure problems. They do a fantastic job and we would like to raise money to help.

"We both want to lose weight and at the same time it will help others as well as being an incentive to us."