Rebecca Wheatley 'slims down to win woman of the year'

An ex-Casualty actress has been named as Slimming World's woman of the year after loosing an impressive 12 stone.

Rebecca Wheatley, who played receptionist Amy Howard in the popular BBC medical drama, has shed the weight and gone from a size 32 to a sexy size 12.

She explains that she was prompted to lose the extra pounds after seeing a "devastating" photograph of herself.

The 44-year-old has ditched crisps, chocolate and sugary snacks in favour of healthier foods like Ryvita, yoghurt and fruit.

Speaking about a set of snaps from her wedding, Rebecca revealed: "There wasn't a single one I wanted to show people. I was ashamed I'd let myself get so big."

The actress has now successfully kept the weight off for two years and hopes to inspire anyone else who is struggling with their weight.

Long-running show Casualty has become a Saturday night favourite on the BBC and has inspired spin off shows such as Holby City and Holby Blue.

Til tomorrow Lola Maniche