A couple have been given a "second chance" at love after losing more than 20st between them.
James and Joyce Quinn, from Irvine, North Ayrshire, declared: "Losing 20 stone saved our marriage," as they were named Slimming World's Couple of the Year 2013.
Mr Quinn, 45, struggled with his weight after he was made redundant from his job as a sports instructor. At his heaviest he weighed more than 27st.
"I was a sports instructor and very active, but I lost my job and went to work as a manager in a video shop. I was eating the same foods but I wasn't burning them off any more," he said.
The father-of-four and grandfather-of-one said the weight put a strain on his family life. "I'd given up on life. I genuinely thought my family would be better off if I went to sleep one night and didn't wake up. I didn't do anything around the house, Joyce did everything for me and it was affecting our relationship," he said.
Mr Quinn finally decided to do something about his problem after getting measured for a kilt for his niece's wedding. He discovered that his waist was 62in, the largest size available.
With the support of his family, he joined Slimming World in 2011 and lost 12st in just 12 months. Mrs Quinn joined him and has dropped 4st 5lb, going from 15st 4lb to 10st 13lb.
"I suppose next to James I didn't look very big so I thought I was fine. But my weight had been creeping up since I'd had our children."
The Quinns have now swapped a diet of sausages, bacon and potato scones fried in oil for fresh fruit and fat-free yoghurt. They are also being more active in order to keep the weight off. "We walk everywhere now instead of getting a bus or a taxi and even play badminton and go swimming," said Mrs Quinn, 47.
Her husband, who is now a svelte 11st 8.5lb, says he plans to spend more time with his family. "I've realised that I missed out on a lot with our children because I couldn't do things with them. We've got a one-year-old granddaughter and I'm determined she'll never see me overweight and to do all the things I missed out with our children with her."
