A GREENMOUNT mum is gearing up to take on the Bury 10k next month after losing three-and-a-half stone.

Nicola Linaker, who lives in Vernon Road, attended her first Weight Watchers meeting in Ramsbottom last summer, weighing more than 15 stone.

To motivate her, she decided to take up running earlier this year, and has progressed from trying out a local council-led running group with friends to signing up for the 10k event, where she will be running to raise funds for the Joshua Wilson Brain Tumour Charity. 

She said: “When I look back to a year ago, I am a completely different person. I have buckets full of confidence and I am certainly a much nicer and happier person, mum and wife.

“I have always been overweight since being small, I am one of three girls and there has never been a time, apart from now, where I have been the smallest of the three of us.

“I have followed different plans since the age of 18 losing a stone or so but never any more and then giving up, piling more weight on to start something different.”

Nicola says the turning point came when she decided to step away from her stressful job as a GP practice manager. 

And after completing her first 10k in training on Monday, she says she is raring to go for the big day, and is hoping to finish in less than one hour.

To donate visit https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/NicolaLinaker or to find out more about Weight Watchers meeting in your area, visit www.weightwatchers.com/uk.