A 24-year-old woman who lost five and a half stone after suffering with crippling joint paint is in the running for a national award.

Fiona Jermy, from Carlton Colville, dropped five dress sizes in two years, going from 15st 12lb to 10st 5lb.

And after becoming a consultant at the Lowestoft Slimming World group in May last year, Miss Jermy is now in the running for the title of Slimming World Consultant Slimmer of the Year.

She said: 'My weight was affecting my health and my self-confidence and I knew I needed to make a change. I was suffering with crippling joint pain in my 20s as well as chronic migraines amongst other symptoms and at the age of 22 I was diagnosed with two chronic health conditions.

'This was hard to come to terms with and all I wanted to do was use food as a comfort, however by changing my lifestyle all these symptoms have now improved as well as my quality of life as a whole.

'As well as the physical affects of the weight, I was also extremely self-conscious and suffered with anxiety in public places, but now I love being social and you can't keep me away from the shopping centres.'

Once she had reached her target weight, Miss Jermy decided to train to become a Slimming World consultant and opened her own group at St Andrews Church in Roman Road.

She said: 'I found people were always asking how I'd lost my weight and I loved telling people all about Slimming World – even the ones who didn't ask! Knowing how desperate things can feel when you think you've tried everything and how miserable dealing with the burden of excess weight alone, I wanted to help others to achieve what I had so it made sense to turn that into a career.'

Now she is in the running for the consultant Slimmer of the Year title and will go forward to the national finals at Slimming World's Derbyshire head office later this year.

The winner will bag a £2,000 prize as well as the national title.

For more information about Slimming World visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk