SWINDON slimmer Karl Indge is half the man he used to be – literally!

The 25-year-old engineer from Kingsdown has shed a whopping nine stone in just 10 months, shrinking from an ample 21 stone to a svelte 12 stone.

Karl’s transformation was triggered after he saw the photographs of his wedding to wife Kim, 22, in April Last year. He signed up to Highworth Slimming World immediately.

Since then he has ditched the four to five times weekly takeaways and swapped them for five sweaty work-outs in the gym.

“I saw the wedding pictures and thought the only thing that spoilt them was me,” said Karl.

“My lovely wife disagreed of course but that was the shock I needed to force me into change.”

More than a year on Karl can barely recognise himself. His cumbersome 48 inch waist has shrunk to a modest 32 inches, he no longer suffers the embarrassment of being unable to pull his tray table down on holiday flights and getting up and down ladders at work no longer leaves him breathless. It was a transformation which saw him nominated as Man of The Year at the National Slimming World Awards last month – walking away with a £500 cheque.

“I am a changed man,” he said.

“Kim has always been small but even she had lost weight since I started this health kick.

“I know now that I have given myself a chance at a much healthier and longer life thanks to the weight loss and am really looking forward to the future when I can run around with my kids and not be out of breath.”

Brenda Allen, consultant for Highworth Slimming World group, said: “I am so proud of what Karl has achieved. It takes a lot to admit you are overweight and that you need to do something about it but he has really embraced his new lifestyle and is a great source of inspiration for others.

“Seeing him standing on the podium at the awards was a great moment and he deserves all the recognition he gets for all the hard work he has put in.”