A LARGE crowd gathered in the town centre to watch cooking demonstrations and receive weight loss advice as Slimming World celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Members from Swindon and the wider district teamed up with colleagues from around the country as a golden bus rolled into town on the 48th day of a national tour.

Lou Robins from Freshbrook runs weekly sessions in the area and member Jayne Perrett, 52, is about to start her first class as a consultant on Thursday after losing more than six stone in a year.

Jayne said: "If I can make one person feel as good as I do now, I've succeeded. I'd tried every punishing diet but the weight I lost doing them always came back.

"I joined the group after I was on a plane and had to have an extended seat because of how big I was, which was so embarrassing.

"I don't know why I didn't try this earlier and now I want to help other people."

Lou has been a consultant for eight years. She said: "We can't keep up with demand, we need more consultants like Jayne.

"It was great to see so many people There was a queue to get into the bus and meet some of our most successful clients before the event even started.

"The crowd was really lively and fun. This was a celebration of 50 years and a great opportunity to meet new faces.

"There are 3,000 members who attend weekly sessions in Swindon. I love helping people change their lifestyles and habits in a way that's empathetic and supportive."