A NORTH-EAST woman who was too embarrassed to walk down the aisle has tied the knot after losing half her body weight.

Sheila McInnes, of Stockton, refused to marry her partner Brian because of her 24 stone frame.

However, the 32-year-old finally said “I do” after months of dedication, willpower and the support of Darlington-based LighterLife counsellor Susan Hampton led her to lose 12 stone.

The mother-of-two, who works as a teaching assistant, said: “I couldn’t have done it without Susan.

“Every week I came to see Susan she gave me the motivation to get through the next week.

“It was the counselling that really helped. I wouldn’t have been able to make the lifestyle changes that enabled me to manage my weight without it.

“I feel like I’ve wasted my 20s, so it’s all the more reason to make the most of my 30s, as a married woman.”

She had refused to set a date for her wedding for fear of being the centre of attention A health scare kickstarted her bid to lose weight.

Mrs Hampton said: “I’m really proud of what Sheila has achieved and hope she can act as an inspiration to other people who may be stuck in the same situation she was in before she lost weight.”