HELEN Coles-Hennessy has been voted Launceston's Woman of the Year after losing four-and-a-half stone. The secondary school teacher who works at Budehaven School represented Launceston in the district finals where she was in the last six in the West Country.

Helen said she had always been bigger that she would have liked but things got really bad when she was commuting from Birmingham to Slough daily after a change of job. The long drive each day led to snaking from motorway service stations and takeaways in the evenings causing the pounds to pile on.

She decided to make a change when she moved to Cornwall in August 2008.

"I felt it was a great opportunity to meet new people and I was motivated because I was getting married. It was nerve racking to go to the first meeting and getting on the scales for the first time but everyone was so friendly. I now look forward to the meetings celebrating everyone's success and sharing tips."

See this week's 'Post' for a full report.