A PENSIONER has lost five stones in weight in just five months thanks to a dedicated exercise plan devised by Cresta Leisure Centre.

Tim Collins, 66, who lives near Chard, weighed more than 24 stone when his GP referred him to enrol on the supervised exercise programme called Wellness Works at Cresta Leisure Centre in August last year.

Since then Tim has been exercising twice a week at the gym at the centre and attending weekly sessions at Slimming World to regulate his diet.

Tim, who now weighs 19 stones, said that since starting the Wellness Works exercise programme and losing weight his life had improved 100%.

“When I visited my GP last year he made it clear that unless I lost weight I would not make old bones and that really scared me and motivated me to do something about it,” he said “The staff at Cresta have been wonderful and have really supported me – I think I would have fallen at the first hurdle if I had tried to do it on my own without the help of the team at Cresta and at Slimming World.

“I feel totally different, I can walk everywhere instead of having to sit down and rest after any exercise, and I can now tie my own shoelaces and move around so much more easily.”

Tim would like to lose a further five stones, so he can have more energy and really enjoy his retirement.

Jayne Spurdle, who organises the GP referral scheme at Cresta, said the scheme had proved a great way of helping people with health problems.

“We have had a great many people who have been helped by the scheme over the years but Tim has proved to be an exceptional success story,” she said.

“We are very proud of what he has achieved so far and will continue to support him in his quest to lose more weight.”

For more information about the Wellness Works exercise programme and the GP referral scheme at Cresta, contact Jayne Spurdle on 01460-64084.