When Chris Davis first puffed his way around parkrun he tipped the scales at 30st. It took him more than an hour to walk the 5km route – out of breath, apologising for being slow and wanting to give up.

But he kept going and went back week after week. He has now completed his 24th run in 41 minutes and is 9st lighter.

The environmental health worker wants to encourage others to take the first step towards doing more exercise by signing up to parkrun at Great Lines Heritage Park.

The 37-year-old said: “It was so daunting going to that first run. I was embarrassed. I had the tail runner with me. I kept saying sorry because I was so slow. I was out of breath the whole way and I wanted to give up.

“But the tail runner was so encouraging and kept me going. Once I had done it once, I knew I could do it.”

The former takeaway junkie decided in January that “enough was enough” and he needed to lose weight.

He said: “I work long hours so I’m ashamed now to admit that I would resort to takeaways four or five times a week, from a curry house, a chip shop or fast food.

“My doctor was basically saying ‘you’re fat, you need to lose weight” but that was it. The doctors say I should have technically been dead. But that’s not very helpful.

“There was no encouragement. You are told you need to stop eating so much. But it is not that simple. I believe exercise is key.”

Mr Davis, who works for Ashford Borough Council, first cut out takeaways, then joined a Slimming World group and started doing parkrun.

As he loses weight, he is finding parkrun easier and is building up more stamina. At parkrun’s third birthday celebrations he was given a trophy for being the most improved runner.

He said: “I now can jog around the course and do a sprint finish. There are always people shouting my name and encouraging me and cheering as I cross the finish line. Everyone is so welcoming and there is no prejudice.

The advanced runners hang around at the end to support others.

“That’s why parkrun is such a fantastic thing. And it is free so you don’t have to fork out for an expensive gym membership.”

Chris Davis, who lives in Wainscott, is calling on Medway Council to improve some of the paths around the Great Lines Heritage Park and has asked MP Rehman Chishti, who is a keen runner, for support.

He said: “The course at Great Lines parkrun is fine and the vast majority of the course is run on a quality hard-standing.

“However the paths that surround the fantastic war memorial at the top end of the course really let the park down and are less than good, with a very fine gravel surface and unevenness that is difficult underfoot for the best of runners, let alone larger runners like myself.”

Mr Davis wants the council to consider paving these sections of path. He added: “Not only would it benefit the parkrunners but the greater community as a whole.”