A FAST food lover who piled on the pounds after being diagnosed with arthritis lost four and a half stone by learning to cook.

Eight years ago Clair Thornton was diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis in her knees, hands, and feet, and as her health deteriorated, her weight increased to 15st 7lbs — not helped by the cocktail of drugs she had to take to control it.

Even the smallest tasks would leave her breathless, in pain and tired all the time, so her diet went downhill and soon she was eating several takeaways every weekend, as well as eating crisps, chocolate and sweets on top, washed down with endless cans of fizzy drinks.

But since ditching the takeaway menus the 37-year-old has been cooking up a storm of fresh new recipes in the kitchen, slimming down from a size 18 to a trim size 10.

Miss Thornton, from Platt Bridge, Wigan, said: "I was never the kind of person who would cook anything. I would always just phone for a takeaway or have a ready meal. But now I'm in the kitchen all the time.

"When I got diagnosed I was in so much pain and I was knackered all the time, but without a doubt my weight was making it worse. I have lost four and a half stone and my arthritis is definitely better because I don't have the excess weight, so I look better and feel better."

Since her weight loss she has become a slimming world consultant herself, and is launching her own class in Horwich on Saturday

She added: "I feel better and I look better so my confidence is so much higher. I recently saw a photo of me at my friend's wedding four years ago and I nearly cringed — I couldn't believe how big I was.

"But since the weight loss I have worn a bikini for the first time — I would never have dared to do that before."

This Saturday Miss Thornton will be launching her own weekly Slimming World group at the Brazley Community Hall in Horwich from 10am.

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