WHEN Vicki Sharkey found she had to take painkillers just to get out of bed in the morning she decided to do something about her weight.

Now the mum-of-three is half the woman she was after losing more than eight stone in just 12 months.

Vicki joined Weight Watchers in January last year and exactly a year later, she has dropped from dress size 24 to a tiny size eight.

“I’ve wanted to lose weight for years, but the main reason this time was for health,” she said. “I was having to wake up at three or four in the morning to take painkillers just so I could get up a couple of hours later. I thought, ‘I can’t go on like this’.”

Vicki, 43, started to pile on the pounds following the birth of her youngest daughter, now 13. And when 4ft 11in Vicki finally went to Weight Watchers she tipped the scales at 17st 10lb – giving her a dangerously high Body Mass Index of 50. The healthy range is 18.5-25.

She said: “The biggest change in my diet has been controlling the amount of food. I’ve never been a cook, now it’s part of my routine.”

Vicki has been supported by husband David during her diet, and he has lost more than five stone following the same plan while their two youngest children have also been getting healthy by eating the same as mum and dad. Childminder Vicki, from Capital Road, Higher Openshaw, said: “Of an evening it was easy just to call for a take-out and not think about what sort.

“Now my husband cooks a low-fat curry and the other evening he made chicken fried rice that was about six (Weight Watchers) points – the one from the take away is 15.”

Vicki has also started to exercise and has installed a mini-gym in her bedroom.

“Everywhere I go people I haven’t seen for a few months can’t believe it’s me. At New Year’s Eve I didn’t want the year to end, it’s been so much fun. The weight is going to stay off for good,” she said.