AN incentive scheme is helping people shed excess weight in Trimdon.

The programme, funded by Sedgefield Primary Care Trust and the Northern Rock Foundation, is part of a wider health project in the village aimed at reducing the numbers of cancer and coronary heart disease.

As an added incentive, every new member was given a book of 20 vouchers endorsed by the Trimdon 2000 Health Project.

All members of the class have also been given three months free membership of Gymsters in Fishburn, funded by health promotion specialist Tony Walsh from Sedgefield Primary Care Trust.

Course leader Sam Black has 80 members, with 60 regular attendees who have lost 100 stone between them in ten months. Forty two members reached their goal of losing ten per cent of bodyweight.

Patricia Slater, health and social care officer for Trimdon 2000, said: "Friendships have developed within the group and every week is now a social gathering.

"The scheme involves people eating three meals a day, eating lots of fruit and veg, drinking eight glasses of water a day and exercising daily.

"But the results are showing for themselves and the group is doing really well