GREGG Wrigley embarked on a gruelling diet and exercise regime to lose a massive 12-and-a-half stone.

But now the 28-year-old chef, pictured, has another fight on his hands — to get the NHS to remove the excess skin from his weight loss.

Despite attempts by his GP to refer Mr Wrigley for surgery to remove the skin, which is making his life a misery, the operation has not been offered by NHS Bolton and he cannot afford private care.

Mr Wrigley believes he was refused because the surgery is classed as cosmetic and therefore not a priority. “It seems so unfair when it is making me so miserable.

“If I’d had gastric band surgery it would have cost the NHS several thousands of pounds but I’ve lost the weight myself and that hasn’t cost them a penny,” said the penny,” said the 30-year-old from Breightmet.

A gastric band, available on the NHS, could have cost the taxpayer up to £7,000.

Mr Wrigley describes himself as having “always being quite big” and explained that he started putting weight on while a pupil at Canon Slade School.

When he left school the weight began to really pile on and at his heaviest he weighed 27 stone.

Mr Wrigley, a head chef at an old people’s home in Bury, said: “The last thing I wanted to do when I got home was to cook, so I’d get takeaways.

“People used to refer to me as Big Gregg.”

It was his sister, 28-year-old Rebecca Stone, who gave him the incentive to lose weight when her first daughter, Stephanie, now aged three, was born.

“She said she wanted Stephanie to have an uncle and she feared I wouldn’t be around much longer if I continued the way I was,”

he said.

He changed his lifestyle, taking up exercise and cutting down on alcohol, began eating healthily and joined WeightWatchers.

That was three years ago, and today Mr Wrigley weighs just over 15 stone.

“But the skin is hideous and makes me feel dreadful.

I have no confidence and feel really upset when I look at myself,” he said.

Mr Wrigley is waiting for vital surgery on a damaged knee, but cannot have that operation until his weight is under 15 stone.

He estimates his excess skin, on his stomach, thighs and under his arms, weighs about one-and-a-half stone.

Mr Wrigley said: “Swimming is the very best exercise, yet there is no way I can go swimming when I look like this.”

He has explored private surgery but cannot afford to go down that route.

An NHS Bolton spokesman said: “We have a policy over what surgeries can be routinely funded by the NHS and this type of surgery is not.”

He added that Mr Wrigley had a right to appeal.