A gym receptionist from Bradford who tipped the scales at almost 22 stones has shed more than half her body weight.

Super-slimmer Sarah Gale has lost an astonishing 12 stone 1lb since she moved to Thackley just over two years ago.

The mother-of-three, who was a self-confessed chocoholic, said she had never thought about her weight - 21stone 11lbs - until a straight-taking northerner asked her if she was happy with her size.

Mrs Gale, 33, who moved from the South when her husband Neil got a new job, was spurred into action by the comments.

"The first friend I met said: 'Are you happy with your weight?' And I thought: 'No, I don't think I am really'," said Mrs Gale. "Northerners can be quite direct - but we are still friends."

She joined a slimming club in Idle and surprised herself by losing 8lbs in the first week. She substituted her favourite foods of crisps, chocolate and pizza with fresh fruit and vegetables and other healthy alternatives.

But despite shedding pounds, when a vacancy came up for a receptionist at Green's gym in Baildon she still wondered whether she had the right image.

"I was really worried about going for the job because I thought they might not want to employ me because I might not look how they wanted a receptionist to look in a health club," she said.

"But they employed me and after I worked there for a few months I plucked up the courage to go to the gym."

It has not been easy to shed the weight, which Mrs Gale believes she put on after not getting back into shape after having each of her children Sam, six, Eloise, four, and two-year-old Chloe.

But she is reaping the rewards and at 9 stone 10lbs is now enjoying a wardrobe overhaul.

"It was really funny when I realised I had lost more weight than I now weighed," said Mrs Gale. "But my husband says he loves me whatever weight I am."