Father and daughter Joe and Emmie Hayes have made slimming a family affair – by swapping stodgy diets for healthy living and shedding more than 11st between them.

After moving to Dudley from Cumbria last year, 21-year-old Emmie struggled to make friends because she was so shy.

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But she decided it was time to change, and signed herself up to a slimming group in Sedgley in September last year.

She took up regular exercise and swapped her regular diet of chips and fizzy pop for healthier options including pasta, chicken and lower calorie drinks.

And the Dudley College beauty student has seen the weight drop off and her confidence soar. She has now lost 7st 4lbs and dropped five dress sizes, down from a size 22 to a size 12.

After losing the first 6st, Emmie persuaded her 48-year-old father Joe, a pastor at Dudley Christian Fellowship, to attend the sessions and he has now lost 4st.

The pair did not want to reveal how much they weighed but they said losing the pounds had transformed their lives. Emmie now goes swimming every week and joins in zumba classes.

“I’ve gone from being quite a shy person to being more confident,” she said.

“I now sing in a choir which I had never dreamed of doing before. It has really changed my life and I feel so much better because of it.”

Joe joined the group earlier this year and the pair have been able to support each other. Emmie and Joe, of the Broadway, attend Slimming World consultant Sue Haywood’s Thursday group at St Chads Social Centre in Sedgley.

“I’m really proud to have both members in my group, they are very supportive and inspirational,” said Sue.

By Heather Large