AN OVERWEIGHT father-of-three had his life changed forever after undergoing an operation which helped him lose half his body weight.

Simon Prouse from Pinehurst felt depressed and constantly out of breath when his weight ballooned to 30 stone and a 50" waist so his GP referred him to Great Western Hospital's weight management service. After many discussions, they decided that he should have a sleeve gastrectomy.

The 37-year-old said: “I’ve suffered from obesity all my life, I was nicknamed Tank at school, but I got to the point where I couldn’t do simple things, I was out of breath all the time, even just walking up the stairs and I couldn’t play with my kids, I had pains in my chest, I was very lucky that I didn’t have any serious conditions like diabetes."

Simon worked with an endocrinologist, dietician and psychologist before and after having 80 per cent of his stomach removed so that he could keep his weight down and has lost even more weight while attending post-operation monthly group sessions. Everybody being considered for surgery must lose 10 per cent of their weight beforehand to show a willingness to change.

He now weights 17 stone with a 37" waist: "It's not a quick fix, it's a lot of hard work, you still get the urge to eat even though you can’t physically fit in as much as before. You have to be determined to make it work.

"It was the best decision I've ever made, it's been amazing. I can play football with my children and go on theme park rides with them, my wife was really surprised by how much I've lost, the whole family eats healthier and my eldest son Kevin got onto the STFC Elite team after slimming down a bit. We've stopped eating fast food, our diet habits have completely changed, my portion sizes are much smaller now and I'm eating sensibly.

"The aftercare is so important to keep the weight off and maintain a healthy lifestyle. I've had fantasiic support from everyone who's known about what I've gone through. Other people are shocked when they see the before and after pictures. It's been a lifesaver and the last thing I want to do is go back to my old self."

Anybody who would like to be considered for the GWH Weight Management Service should speak to their GP for a referral.