SHEDDING five stone in weight is a commendable feat in itself, but a local woman has achieved it not once but TWICE.

Michelle Locke, of Bournemouth, kicked her diet of take-away food, chocolate and crisps into touch to fit into her slinky wedding dress last year.

She has binned the size 26 dresses in favour of size eight, is now a successful slimming consultant, and a national newspaper is so impressed with her story, it will feature Michelle on its pages next week.

"I had a photo-shoot with one of their photographers, which was fantastic," she said.

"I would never have had the courage to do this sort of thing when I was heavier."

Yet it wasn't the first time Michelle, now 28, has experienced the sweet taste of success.

Back in 2001 she piled on the pounds while pregnant with her first child, Jasmine.

"I lived on junk food, and as I became bigger, I grew more miserable. I also lost all my energy and confidence."

Covering up with baggy fleeces and tracksuit bottoms, Michelle naturally felt frumpy. She was in a vicious circle, but a subscription to Slimming World and nine months later she had dropped from 15-and-a-half stone to nine-and-a-half stone.

Then she found out she was expecting her second daughter, Tia, and out came all the bad habits again. Her weight rocketed to 14-and-a-half stone, but she followed the same healthy eating plan for a year and last May the scales recorded a more svelte eight stone 12 ounces.

It meant that she could walk up the aisle with her head held high when she married her partner, Mark, in July, despite having her size 12 wedding dress pinned as it was too big!

One of the best things about being five stone lighter is that she has much more energy to run around with the children.

"And the feeling of being able to walk into a clothes shop and pick anything I like is amazing.

"Before, I would look at lovely clothes but know they would look absolutely ridiculous on me."

With her new look also comes a new-found confidence to go swimming, dancing and enjoy Pilates - and to stand up in front of her Slimming World class.

Since beginning in January she has become a Bronze consultant and is waiting to hear if she has won the National Slimming World Consultant Slimmer of the Year.

Husband Mark has also lost two-and-a-half stone.

"I used to be a person embarrassed about my size and the baggy clothes I wore," she said.

"Now I am so much happier. I can't believe how much my whole life has changed."

Michelle's Slimming World classes take place at West Cliff Baptist Church, in Westbourne, on Wednesday nights at 6.30pm. Telephone 01202 265687 for details.

The Daily Star will be running a feature on Michelle on Sunday, May 29.

First published: May 21