A NORTHWICH couple have hit the national newspaper headlines after ditching their takeaway habit and losing 13 stone in weight in a matter of months.

Caroline Marshall 38, got the ball rolling after embarking on her diet in September 2016 and reached her goal of shedding 4 stone seven pounds by April of last year, while husband Ben, 38, got started in January 2017 and lost a staggering eight stone seven pounds by October. His loss was the combined weight of son Jacob six and daughter Imogen,10, put together.

As Caroline admitted Ben's weigh loss to a trim 12 stone 7lbs, was so rapid that by September he was unrecognisable to many people including staff at their son Jacob's school.

Caroline said: "The remark was made to me by a member of staff, who after previously seeing Ben after the summer break asked me if we had had a change of 'family circumstances' because a 'different person' had been with Jacob.

"When I explained he was the same person they were absolutely shocked and wanted to know all about it."

The catalyst for Caroline was in the realisation her health and role as a mother were being negatively impacted by the additional weight, while for Ben, it was seeing his wife shedding the pounds with the Cambridge Weight Plan.

She explained: "For Ben it was seeing the success I was having with the plan and also finding a lump on his face that after weeks of worry was diagnosed as non cancerous but made him realise he needed to do something about his weight."

"I was a size 20 but I'm now a size 10 and Ben is a size medium."

The couple came to national attention after winning the Cambridge Weight Plan 'In It Together' Couple of the Year Award, and are as a result are off to Monte Carlo in the Spring for an all expenses paid holiday as a prize.

She has subsequently become a consultant for the weight plan : "After a variety of jobs this is what I now do to help people lose weight and I have other clients who just want to lose a little bit of weight and it's very exciting to be able to change their lives.

"It's the most brilliant job in the world."

Asked if she feared putting the weight on again Caroline added: "The plan teaches you through the steps process what you should be eating (and how much) to sustain your weight loss.

"We have changed our eating habits so much, we still have the occasional treat, but see them as that a treat rather than the norm.

"We are also both much more active and now go running at least 3 times a week. In fact Ben recently completed the Hell Runner Half Marathon."