A TRIO of men in their seventies have been branded the Three Wise Men of weight loss after slimming down by a total of 15st.

Mandy Freke, a Slimming World consultant in Manningtree, said all three of the men have also been given the club’s Mr Sleek title.

She said: “I’ve got three senior citizens and we call them the Three Wise Men, they’ve lost 15st between them.

“They inspire everybody. When they were having their Christmas meal I thought they really deserve recognition for what they have done.

“People think you can’t do it when you get older but you can.”

John Keeper, 74, from Lawford weighed 18st 3lbs when he joined the Lawford club and lost 4st in 11 months - he is now their Mr Sleek of 2018, a title given out at each club every year.

Peter Gilbersleeves, 76, from Brantham weighed 18st 5lbs and lost more than 5st at the Brantham club, becoming its Mr Sleek this year.

He joined after his friend Roy Easter, 74, went from weighing 17½st at his heaviest to 12½st after joining the Brantham group.

He was named Mr Sleek in 2017 and has retained his slender figure.

Mandy said: “Peter was going to have a knee operation and couldn’t walk well.

“But he doesn’t have to have it now because he can spring around like a spring chicken.

“Last Christmas Peter said he felt uncomfortable in his clothes but now he said he couldn’t have given himself a better present for Christmas.

“They are all happy and healthy and far more confident.”

Mandy said the men were also a good example of how many men now come to the slimming clubs she runs.

She added: “We have a lot of people thinking it’s a women’s club but there is a mix of people.

“I’ve been doing this for ten years and the male population at the groups has grown.”