Super slimmer's marathon bid

A super slimmer who used to eat junk food and do no exercise before she shed more than six stones is gearing up for her third London Marathon.

Lesley Joyner went from dress size 18 to a size 10 after she joined a weight loss group and took up running.

Since losing the pounds, the 41-year-old from Stourbridge has completed 120 half marathons as well as several full marathons.

And when she's not busy keeping her gruelling training every day, Lesley who now weighs a slim 8st 12lbs, supports dozens of others slimmers in their bid to be trim in her role as a WeightWatchers leader in Tipton.

Lesley, who plans to take on the tough London Marathon in four weeks, said her life had changed drastically since her weight loss.

"I was 15st, lazy, did no exercise and ate rubbish," she said. "I was unhappy and I hated not being able to wear anything nice.

"Now I am totally the opposite. I've done the Three Peaks Challenge twice and this will be my third London Marathon. "I have been out of training for the past five weeks with a calf injury but with a lot of physio I will be taking part in the marathon even if I have to walk it."

Lesley, who works for a stockbroker in Birmingham, was inspired to become a weight loss leader after being asked by complete strangers how she had slimmed down.

"People were coming up to me on the train asking me how I lost all the weight," she said. "In the end I thought I'm going to share my story."

Since losing the weight 12 years ago, Lesley has kept up running and takes part in around 10 half marathons a year.

She also regularly runs with her father Phil Murray, aged 68, who also takes part in races.

"My dad eats and eats but he's like a stick because he runs and I believe that it does make a difference," she said. "I tell people that come to my classes that you need to do exercise."

Lesley holds weight loss meetings at Alexandra School, Alexandra Road in Tipton on Tuesday evenings from 6.30pm.

She will be running the London Marathon in aid of The British Heart Foundation on April 13