An 'inspiring' 31-stone accountant who lost almost 10 stone in a year for charity has now been voted Man of the Year at his slimming club.

Chris Penny, who is 6ft, accepted the award at his Slimming World group last week after raising over £4,500 for Children with Cancer UK and changing his life.

His consultant at Slimming World at Prospect Hall, in Prospect Road, Woodford Green, Chris Elliott, praised his effort.

She said: "All 70 members at the group have been inspired by Chris. 

"To lose 10 stone in a year is phenomenal, I have been a consultant for 15 years and I still find stories like this really inspiring. 

"Chris is great, he supports other people in the group and I can't speak highly enough of him.

"This will be life changing, he was so brave to come to a predominately female group and we all love him."

Mr Penny, who works at NWN Blue Squared Limited, in Woodford Avenue, Woodford Green, started the challenge in June after his friend Amanda Conway lost her nine-year-old daughter Louise to leukaemia.

He said he had always known his size was a health issue so it was a chance to improve his health, meaning he is now not regularly out of breath and it is much easier for him to get around.

The 34-year-old of Quebec Road, Ilford, swapped snacks of crisps and chocolate for fruit, while cutting down on the regular pints of beer.

A typical daily diet has been scrambled eggs for breakfast, salad for lunch and a homemade curry for dinner.

He held a fundraising event at the Monkhams pub in Buckhurst Hill on May 30, where Mr Penny had his hair and beard shaved off.