Super slimmer David sheds 10 stone after plane exit embarrassment

Eighteen months ago and weighing 22 stone and three pounds, David Bashford, aged 65, was told to move to a window seat by a flight attendant because his large frame was blocking the exits.

As passengers gawped, an ashamed David made the decision that he would never face such embarrassment again.

The part-time driving instructor from Bilston said: "I was on a holiday to Tenerife. On the flight out there, I had a meal paid for but I couldn't really have it because my stomach was in the way of the tray.

"On the flight back, the flight attendant said that I'd have to move because I was so big, if something happened I'd be in the way.

"I felt terrible when she said it. Everyone was looking at me and making comments all the way up the aircraft."

His shame sparked a trip to a Weight Watchers session at the Bilston Centre, Bow Street, where he quickly ditched his bad habits of tucking away two or three burgers with chips for lunch and constant snacking on chocolate bars and crisps.

Now he is more likely to be found eating fish and tomatoes, drinking water and snacking on fruit.

David quickly saw the benefits of healthy eating and exercise with a rapid weight loss. He's lost a total of nine stone and six pounds since he started.

He said: "I've listened closely to what they said in the Weight Watchers meetings.

"I've changed my diet so I'm eating proper food now. I normally get in late and don't really feel like going out to exercise so I bought a treadmill.

"I try and do about half an hour a night. It has a calorie counter on it and I usually burn about 200 calories.

"It's done on a points system, so you can have bad things in moderation. But if I start, I can't stop, so I try not to have anything. I do have the odd day where I'll fall off the wagon, but normally I'll regret it the next day, and get back to eating healthy food again."

I'm really pleased with the results, and I've no intention of putting the weight back on."

He's now set for a holiday to Rhodes, and is looking forward to travelling stress and embarrassment-free.

His Weight Watchers instructor Dawn Sharman said: "David is an amazing man. His photo went viral on Facebook and had over 3,000 hits. He was suffering with high blood pressure,which he was taking medication for and his mobility was an laboured.

"He decided he had to do something about it. He's done really well and had learned how important eating healthily and being active is."