A mother and daughter from Wolverhampton are half the women they were but twice as happy after shedding more than 10 stones between them.

Teacher Carly Richards piled on the pounds while she was a student at Middlesex University and, despite trying a number of different diets over the years, could not shift the excess weight caused by her love of savoury snacks.

But after ballooning to a dress size 20, the 27-year-old knew she needed to take drastic action.

“Before I snacked on chocolate and would often eat out, which comprised of chips in the pub or curries,” she said. “Now I eat more vegetables, only drink water and green tea and I enjoy salsa dancing as well.

“My whole outlook has changed and losing weight has given me so much more confidence.”

Carly spotted a story in the Express & Star about a slimmer who had lost weight with the Cambridge Diet.

The diet, which was developed by doctors, involves substituting food for a month and gaining nutrition through shakes and special snack bars. The results on Carly’s waistline were staggering and saw her lose almost a stone a month.

Eight months after starting the plan, she has lost six stones and 10lbs and is a slender dress size 8-10.

And seeing her daughter’s transformation spurred on 52-year-old Jane to join in. Between them the mother and daughter, who both live in Finchfield, shed almost 11 stones.

Jane, of The Spinney, suffers from arthritis and wanted to feel fitter and healthier. She too followed the Cambridge Diet and lost four stones. Jane now tips the scales at nine stones.

Carly, who lives in Glendale Close and works at schools across Birmingham, said she now loved shopping.

“I can go anywhere now and buy clothes and often a 10 is too big, which is a lovely problem,” she said. “Shopping has become a lot more enjoyable.”

Carly has now trained as a counsellor for the Cambridge Diet. She can be contacted on 07977 450513.