Super-slimmer Dean is half the man he used to be

But after a three-year diet regime the 36-year-old from the Black Country really is half the man he used to be – having slimmed to 16st 6lb to be named Slimming World's Greatest Loser of 2013.

Mr Worrall, from Stourbridge, has lost a staggering 17st. He decided to slim down after he was made redundant from his electrician job.

After saying he was stared at in the street and being embarrassed when he could not fit into chairs at job interviews, he decided it was time to kick his unhealthy lifestyle into touch.

He said he had even asked an interviewer for a different chair because the one provided was not big enough.

He knew that losing weight would be the best way to increase his chances of finding work again.

The electrician, who got back into work shortly after starting sessions with a Slimming World class in Brierley Hill, said he used to struggle to fit into vans, climb ladders and squeeze into small spaces.

Mr Worrall admitted simple tasks like picking a replacement van for work was a problem before his astonishing weight loss programme.

His van had to be scrapped but he says his choice was limited.

Mr Worrall said he had always been 'big', even at school, but starting work and gaining freedom saw his weight balloon even more.

Mr Worrall began rapidly gaining weight when he started work at the age of 16 and would drive to fast-food joints and takeaways every day.

When he started his weight-loss regime in August 2010 Mr Worrall, who is 6ft 4in, weighed 33st 6lb.

"When I was made redundant I wondered, who would ever want to hire a 33st electrician?"

At his biggest he had expanded to a size 6XL, with a 68in waist, and could only fit into clothes he bought from specialist websites.

But now Mr Worrall wears size XL clothes and 40in trousers.

The pounds began to fall off when he switched to a new diet of porridge, fat free yoghurt, fresh fruit and vegetables and lean meat and fish.

His success has meant he has also found work as an electrician again.

It even helped him gain confidence as he packed his wardrobe full of new clothes.

Mr Worrall's dieting challenge first came to the attention when his feat saw him reach the finals of Slimming World's Greatest Loser last year finishing joint 6th.

He added: "I'm loving life again and would recommend anyone who's thinking about trying to lose weight, whether it's just a stone or two or a lot like me, to go for it. I'd never have believed I'd be here less than three years later and half the man I was with a whole new life to look forward to, but it's true."