A FOOTIE fan who shed 10-and-a-half stone and piled it, and more, back has lost more than 16 stone with his second dieting attempt.

In 2014, Daniel Cushen, of Barry, lost 10 stone 8.5lbs with WeightWatchers (WW), in Barry, in his quest to naturally slim down from his original weight of 27 stone 12Ibs to his goal of just under 15 stone.

The dad then weighed in at 17 stone 3.5lbs – a target he achieved in 18 months, since his mum Sonia Cayton dragged him to the Beryl Road, class in 2012.

But the six-foot tall site manager fell back into bad habits and hit 30 stone 6Ib at his heaviest.

He now weighs 14 stone 4Ib, but is left with excess skin which needs removing.

The procedure isn’t funded by the NHS so Mr Cushen has set up a GoFundMe page to help make it happen.

Mr Cushen, 34, said: “I lost the weight with WW last time, but ended up putting it all back on plus more due to falling back into old habits.

“I was eating a lot of takeaway food and other junk and not exercising a lot.

“I was kind of stuck in a rut as I didn’t have the confidence or energy to do much.

“I started at 30 stone 6Ibs and reached my goal weight around six months ago - 14 stone 4Ibs.

“I wanted to lose the weight for a number of reasons.

“My health and happiness and being able to do more with my daughter was a massive part in it - buying clothes off the rack instead of online shopping is amazing.

“I picked up an old Slimming World book I had lying around and read through it and just followed the plan.

“I loved it because I was never hungry.

“When I started seeing the instant results I was hooked.

“I feel so much better now, more fit and have more energy.

“I have managed to get and keep a job since losing the weight and work my way up to manager.

“I’ve lost 16 stone 2lbs.”

Recalling how his weight yo-yoed, the former Barry Comprehensive pupil said: “I just fell back into old habits and started eating all the wrong things again.

“I wasn’t cooking like I do now.

“It was making me feel depressed and tired all the time.

“I decided I needed to do something about it.

“I’d done it before so I knew I could do it again.

“I will 100 per cent keep it off this time.

“I am truly happy.

“I feel amazing health-wise and so much fitter.

“I’ve done it through Slimming World, but not going to class - just at home.

“I do a lot of cooking now and eat healthier tastier food.

“Unfortunately the downside to losing all this weight is the loose skin I have been left with.

“It stops me doing a lot of things like exercising and enjoying life to the fullest

“It makes me feel like I have to dress up and hide my body even though I am so proud of what I’ve achieved

“The only option to get rid of it is surgery.

“I have started a GoFundMe page to help raise funds as it is not something the NHS is willing to do.

“To people who yo-yo diet, we are all human and put weight on at times.

“But eating healthy and exercising will make you feel so much better than any junk food will.

“I’m so glad I made the decision to start again, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.

“I feel great.”

To support, visit gofundme.com/f/9trwp-excess-skin-removal?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&rcid=2dc06f301a264dd9b4cb9055d6200aba