A SWINDON man who gained national attention after shedding a staggering 14 stone is appealing for his fellow Swindonians to help him win a battle of a different sort.

Ian Kenna, of North Swindon, likes a challenge – along with his brother he has run four and a half marathons since his impressive weight loss, with an ultra-marathon thrown in to boot.

While a love of exercise may have come late in life for Ian, a passion for singing did not.

For almost 20 years he has been gracing stages and wowing crowds across the South West.

This year he has been shortlisted in the 'Best Male Vocalist: South West' category at The Trevors, a leading regional music contest.

The winner will be determined by a public vote and Ian is appealing for the people of Swindon to get behind him – it could be the difference between him clinching the crown or going home empty handed.

“This is my X-Factor and I am counting on your votes,” said Ian.

“To anyone that has ever seen my act, booked me or supported me, you only have 5 days left – this is a massive deal for me.”

The online voting process takes around ten seconds to complete.

Ian’s brother Mark, who was by his side for every step of their epic marathon fitness journey, is now backing his brother for the win.

“He's been singing for 18 years now and really needs the help of the local people," said a proud Mark.

“A vote from as many people as possible would be amazing - if you haven't already voted please visit the link and vote for Ian Kenna.”

To add your support to Ian’s title quest you can visit http://www.the-trevors.uk/how-to-vote/

If you want to judge his talents for yourself, you can check out https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=4h2GPvRPlI4