A ROYAL British legion member whose cancer treatment made him pile on pounds has stunned his doctor after his weight loss plan eliminated his diabetes.

Bob Wheatley, a former army staff sergeant, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in July last year.

He was advised that radiotherapy and three years of hormone injections would increase his weight. .

The 77-year-old began his battle against the seemingly inevitable weight gain odds when his daughter, Sam Teague, suggested he join her at a Barry Weight Watchers class.

Mr Wheatley, who is also a Barry Male Voice Choir member and Vale Foodbank volunteer, joined Weight Watchers coach Debbie Spargo’s class and shed four stone to achieve health success.

He said: “I weighed in at 17 stones and half- a-pound. Everyone was really friendly and encouraging, telling how well I had done and I was given lots of information to help me. I soon discovered that I could lose weight, one-and-a-half-pounds in the first week.

“My first reaction was disappointment at how little that was, but everyone seemed to think it was fantastic and I soon realised that it was realistic.

“After four weeks I had lost nine pounds, eaten well, never felt hungry and so decided to set myself the goal of getting down to 13 stone. I also set a goal of losing two stones by Christmas which I achieved three weeks early. I actually lost two and a half stones by December 21. I relaxed the diet a bit over Christmas and ended up putting on five pounds, but I knew that by getting back on the Weightwatchers plan I would lose it again which I had by January 25.

“At this point I decided to make a positive statement of intent and I put a large notice on my fridge door which read: "Today is Wednesday 28th June 2017. I was weighed tonight and I now weigh 13 stones" - the idea being that I had to look at that several times every day. At the beginning of March I had lost three stones and attended my six monthly diabetic review and received the amazing news that my 10-year-old type 2 diabetes was gone. No more medication. I had heard of this happening to others, but had never expected it to happen to me.”

Mr Wheatley reached his goal on June 7 this year – shedding four stone and two pounds.

He said: “My doctor recently paid me the amazing compliment of saying: ‘I wish I could hold you up to my other patients as a shining example of what can be achieved.’

“I feel better than I have for years and have loads more energy. I shall continue with Weight Watchers to maintain my current weight. I am so grateful to my daughter Sam for taking me along to that first meeting, back in August last year, and to Weightwatchers coach Debbie Spargo for all her advice and encouragement.”

Mrs Spargo added: “Bob is a real inspiration. He simply followed the realistic weight-loss plan by eating real food in a sensible way. His lifestyle change will enable him to lead a longer, happy and healthy life. He proves that age is no barrier and anyone can achieve weight-loss success if they are determined to achieve.”

Weight Watchers in Barry is at Highlight Park community centre, Stirling Road, on Monday at 9am and Wednesday at 6pm and at Pioneer Hall, Beryl Road, on Thursday at 6pm.