A SHOP worker has impressed customers and colleagues by showing off how much she has lost in weight with bags of sugar.

Carroll Pearce, of Berry Hill, works at Nisa Stores in Coleford and has been losing weight with her husband, Dave, since May.

The pair between them has lost 110lbs – equivalent to 50 bags of sugar – in a bid to "look good" for the renewal of his daughter's wedding vows.

As a way of bringing their success to life she came up with the idea of building a pile of 50 bags of sugar in the shop.

She said: "We started to lose weight when Dave decided that he wanted to lose some weight for the renewal of his daughter's wedding vows after 25 years of marriage and wanted a new suit for the occasion.

"After being a chef and a delivery driver for many years Dave decided one morning that if he lost weight it would improve his health and enable him to be more active.

"We joined the Fitzone Gym in May and embarked on a 12 week weight loss programme. Dave has lost an amazing 80lbs (five stone 10lbs) and I have lost 30lbs."

The pair has since continued with a steady weight loss each week.

Dave said: "I joined Fitzone because everyone was so friendly, supportive and encouraging and it helped to keep me motivated and on track.

"I am just an ordinary person but I made the decision and stuck to it. I go to the gym for an hour each day and follow a sensible eating plan and the weight just rolled off...I am planning on doing a charity walk to raise funds for cancer as my grandson has the disease.

"Losing weight hasn't been easy. You have to make the decision and then stick to it but all the staff at the gym support me. I make it my mission to go every morning and I enjoy it. The fitness team are experts in nutrition and weight loss and gave me fitness programmes that I could achieve and the weight came off bit by bit."

Fitness instructor, Rik Lane said: "What Dave has done in just seven months is a fantastic achievement, a fine example of hard work and dedication combined with step-by-step support from our professional fitness team. Having someone to guide you and encourage you is the route to success with weight loss. We are all very proud of Dave and Carroll's achievement."