SLIMMERS in Lyme Regis have been donating the clothes they’ve slimmed out of to The Big Slimming World Clothes Throw in support of Cancer Research UK.

The Lyme Regis Slimming World group have collected 47 bags of the clothes, shoes and accessories from members who slimmed out of their old wardrobes and feel confident they’ll never need their ‘before’ clothes again.

With each bag worth around £25 to the charity, slimmers in Lyme Regis have raised around £1175 for the charity.

The Big Slimming World Clothes Throw aims to increase awareness of how keeping a healthy weight helps reduce the risk of developing some types of cancer. The event has been supported by the singer and TV presenter, Peter Andre, who is a joint ambassador for the campaign and founder of his own Cancer Research UK fund after losing his brother to cancer.

Last year, slimmers across the UK raised £2.1 million through donations and this year it’s hoped the event will smash that target and raise £3 million for Cancer Research UK.

Anthony Shuttleworth, a member who has lost 3st 2.5 lbs since January 15 this year and won his group’s title of Man of the Year 2017 said: “It felt amazing to donate all of my old clothes – liberating in fact! Bagging them up and saying goodbye was like a celebration of just how far I’ve come.

"I’ve lost three stone and not only do I feel like a new person, now I dress like one too and love going into a shop and choosing whatever I like. I always hated shopping before and just wanted to cover up and hide away. Not any more though.

“Thanks to the amazing support I get from my consultant Charly Purdue and the rest of the group each week, I know that this new me is here to stay. I feel much fitter, confident and healthier than I’ve ever felt before.

“Cancer Research UK is a fantastic charity and it’s great to know that the money raised from my donated items will help support life-saving research.”

Consultant Charly Purdue, who runs the weekly group on Monday evenings and Wednesday mornings in Lyme, is proud of her members’ fundraising efforts.

She said: “The members never fail to amaze me with their weight loss results week after week and it has been great to see so many bags of clothes donated through The Big Slimming World Clothes Throw.

“This year’s Clothes Throw has been a fantastic success, and I can’t believe just how many bags my members, their friends and families have managed to collect.

"When we collected the bags up and saw what a phenomenal amount there were altogether, and we realised what a difference we could make, the atmosphere was just electric.

“The Clothes Throw has been a great chance for the members who have done so well to celebrate their amazing weight losses by saying goodbye to their ‘before’ clothes!”

Peter Andre said he was delighted to be supporting the Big Slimming World Clothes Throw campaign.

He said: "I am so thankful to the slimmers in Lyme Regis for being so generous in their support of the campaign. The Clothes Throw is a fantastic opportunity for them to celebrate their weight losses."