A WEIGHT loss leader met TV personality and presenter Rylan Clark-Neal to celebrate Slimming World's 50th anniversary.

Mandy Freke, from Harwich, runs a Slimming World group in East Bergholt and Lawford twice a week.

She was delighted to get the chance to meet Rylan who shot to fame after appearing on the X-Factor.

Rylan, who has become a well known TV presenter since his X-Factor days, co-hosted the annual Slimming World Awards with the founder Margaret Miles-Bramwell.

Margaret opened her first Slimming World group in 1969 and 50 years later the organisation has grown to support nearly one million slimmers.

Mandy said meeting the TV host was a wonderful way to round off a great year at Slimming World, as well as a brilliant way to start 2019.

She said: “I couldn’t be prouder of my members, not only have they lost fantastic amounts of weight throughout 2018, they’ve also improved their health, boosted their confidence and are heading into 2019 with new healthy habits that will stay with them for life.

“Watching people change before my eyes and start being able to do things that they didn’t think possible before losing weight absolutely amazes me.

"Every week I feel privileged to play even a small part in supporting people towards these achievements and to celebrate with them, so I felt especially honoured to represent my members at the Slimming World Awards.

"Rylan was blown away by the difference Slimming World makes to people’s lives too."

Rylan, who has appeared on This Morning and Channel 5’s Big Brother’s Little Brother, said he was thrilled to meet Mandy at the event, which was held in Birmingham.

He said: “I met so many people who had lost incredible amounts of weight and made a huge difference to their lives.

"Every one of them spoke passionately about how they couldn’t have made those changes to eat more healthily and become more active without the support of their consultant and group every week, so people like Mandy are clearly worth their weight in gold.”