When 21 stone Lorraine Gilling became wedged in rugby stadium turnstiles, she was humiliated into losing nearly half her body weight.

The 47-year-old was a "plump child and a big bride" but it wasn't until her mortifying ordeal at Old Trafford in November that she decided to slim down.

Lorraine, from Parkwood in Rainham, finally made it inside after some pushing and pulling, but she missed most of the match because she was crying in the toilets.

Ten months later, and she is half the woman she was after shedding a whopping 9 stone 3lb and dropping from a 32/34 dress size to a 12/14.

“I had struggled with weight all my life,” she said. “I was a plump child and a big bride.”

But it wasn’t until she was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries and then rheumatoid arthritis, that her weight really started to balloon.

Forced to deal with the news that she could never have her own children, Lorraine started to comfort-eat while also coping with her arthritis.

She said: “I was bullied terribly to the extent where a couple of years ago, people would tease me when I was out walking my dog.

"They thought I was a big person because of what I ate and not because of my health condition. I would struggle to walk and used a walking stick.

“When I got stuck in the turnstile I was so close to saying that I can’t go anywhere anymore, but then a friend gave me some good advice and told me I shouldn’t hide away.”

Lorraine joined a Slimming World group and now tips the scales at a healthy 11st 9lb.

She added: "I can’t wipe the smile off my face. I bump into people who don’t even recognise me any more.

"My health has improved, my medication has been reduced and I now take my dog on walks for two hours.”

Lorraine was named Slimming World's Kent Woman of the Year 2013 and is now in the national competition.