A MELKSHAM mother whose size once confined her to her home is celebrating a new lease of life after losing more than eight stone.

Sue Gale, 50, had hardly left her Awdry Avenue home for 20 years before starting her diet drive last September.

She weighed 24st and was a size 26 when a diabetes diagnosis gave her the spur she needed.

The mother-of-two and gran-of-five began a diet and exercise regime and joined Slimming World.

This Tuesday, weighing 15-and-a-half stone, she was named the Melksham group’s Slimmer of the Year.

Mrs Gale, who has been married to Phillip for 30 years, said: “I’m so happy. It’s life-changing.

“I’m absolutely thrilled. I now go to the gym and I never did that before. It’s a combination of both diet and exercise.

“My diet before was terrible. As I lost weight, I had more energy to try more new stuff.

“My husband has a new wife. I’ve always been a big lady and now I weigh less than I did when we got married 30 years ago.”

She added: “The group has been fantastic. The support they’ve given me has been amazing.”

Before losing weight Mrs Gale was essentially housebound, not wanting to leave home out of embarrassment at her size.

She said: “I didn’t like to go out because I would attract attention because I was so big.

“I had no confidence. I stayed at home and my family would come to see me. I’d leave the house once a week, to do the shopping, and that was it. The diabetes kicked me into gear. It made me re-evaluate everything.”

Mrs Gale’s family are delighted with the changes that have come about from her weight loss. She has even started looking for a job for the first time in 20 years, as a result of her new lifestyle.

Daughter Michelle Jones said: “She’s a new woman. She’s got more confidence – she’s never at home now – it’s just amazing.

“It upsets me now when I look back at photos. Her health must have been horrendous. She said, ‘I can do this,’ and she did it. There aren’t words to say how proud I am of her. It’s absolutely amazing.”

However, the effort isn’t over yet. Mrs Gale aims to continue until she has reached 12 stone.

Carmen Middleditch, who runs the Melksham Slimming World group, said: “When she came here, she was really nervous. She was really unsure and I don’t think she’s looked back.

“The group adore her because she’s just so motivational. We’re very very proud of her.”

Mrs Gale added: “I’d like to say thank you to family and friends, and the group, especially Carmen.”