A GRANDMOTHER from Pontnewydd has lost almost six stone in just over a year and a half after joining her local Slimming World.

Hayley Badham, 57, was diagnosed with Type Two Diabetes in October 2012, but the medication she was on was having adverse side effects to her mental health.

She said: “The side effects of these tablets were horrendous, it got to a stage where I was afraid to leave the house and I became very depressed.

“In December 2016 I had had enough and I stopped taking all my medication. At this time, even with the tablets my blood sugar levels were around 10.

“In January 2017 my sugar levels were 20.6 and I knew I had to do something about it but I was determined I wasn’t going back on the tablets.”

That month, Mrs Badham joined the Pontnewydd Slimming World group at Zion Hill Community Centre.

“The first night I walked into group I was met by my consultant, Rachel Bush,” explained Mrs Badham. “The welcome I got from her and the rest of the group was amazing, and I soon settled in as part of the group.

“I've been to slimming world before and I've lost weight with them before but I have never stuck with it like this.

“In the last 18 months I've gone from a size 26 to a size 14.

“It's really great, with the diet plan you can just eat normal foods.

“I have lost 5st 10lbs to date, and I'm still going.”