A GRANDMOTHER who pledged to lose nine stone for loveLIFE is getting closer to hitting her target.

Susan Dunne, aged 55 from Ernesettle, was 18-and-a-half stone when she signed up, but has been following her plan and lost nearly three stone.

Susan said: "I'm down to size 20 clothing now, I was size 26 in October, I can't believe it, I can barely believe my eyes.

"My grandchildren have said they can see a difference and my muscles are definitely tightening up."

Susan benefited from the loveLIFE campaign in getting one year's free gym membership from Everyone Active, and has been attending Brickfields gym three times a week to help her reach her current weight of 16 stone.

Susan originally decided to lose weight after suffering a mini-stoke and wanted to return to the size she was when she got married 35 years ago.

Susan continued: "I'm feeling better in myself, I have more energy and my confidence is building, I've started wearing make-up again now.

"I really think I'm getting my confidence back, I'd lost interest in everything before and stopped bothering."

Previously Susan spent her time child-minding, shopping and gardening, but has now added the gym to her activities.

"I've started doing the things I would have done when I was younger, I feel so much better," she said.

"I thoroughly enjoy it and now I've started speaking to people in the gym, before I just felt fat but now I can chat away."

Celebrating Susan's success, her husband Philip has also signed up to the campaign hoping to follow in her footsteps and lose some weight.

"We go together to the gym, since he joined we've been doing three days a week together," she added.