Crawley fat-fighters work off 700 stone

THEY might live in one of Britain's fattest towns, but these women are living proof it is possible to fight the flab.

Members of Crawley's Weight Watchers groups have lost the equivalent of 2,000 bags of sugar since January.

Since the beginning of the year the 300 members of Crawley's Weight Watchers groups have shed more than 700st between them.

Recently, The News reported how a health survey revealed one in three people in Crawley is obese.

The Association of Public Health Obser vatories' report also said nine in ten town residents do not get enough exercise.

However, the town's Weight Watchers are doing their bit to reverse the decline.

Sharon Ashborn runs the group at Broadfield Community Centre and since January, the 45 regular members have lost 93st in total.

Mrs Ashborn was a Weight Watchers member herself in July 2002 and in under a year she lost 72lb (5st).

The mother-of-two told The News: "When I started my fitness plan I went on a short bike ride and it tired me out so much that I had to lie down when I got back.

"This was a shocking moment for me but it made me even more determined to stick to the plan and become healthier.

"I am now living proof that you can achieve your health goals if you are motivated and my life has completely changed.

"I make sure I do at least one bit of exercise everyday."

Mrs Ashborn has been rewarded with a Diamond Leader award from Weight Watchers, for the work she has done as a leader to help hundreds of people over the past seven years.

She said: "At Weight Watchers we encourage members to have a new lifestyle, to take up exercise and change their eating habits in small steps.

"We initially set members a target to lose five per cent of body weight which we find is manageable to then build on."

Jane Burse, from Southgate, has been a member at the Broadfield group for the past year and last Saturday she was presented with a certificate for losing 75lb, more than five stone.

The 42-year-old said: "I am now over halfway towards my weight loss goal and I would not have reached this point without the support of everyone at the group.

"Sharon is a superb leader.

"She is great at motivating and leading by example and we all do our best to help each other.

"I would encourage anyone thinking of joining to do so because everyone is friendly and the plans they give really do work."

The Weight Watchers group at Broadfield Community Centre meets each Saturday between 10 and 11am. For more information or to find your nearest meeting, call 0845 712 3000 or visit www.weightwatchers.co.uk