A 31-year-old mum who lost almost two and a half stones after becoming “ashamed” of being overweight has set up her own slimming group.

When Christina Stylianou, of Bexhill Road, Palmers Green, suffered a personal trauma she started to comfort eat to deal with her emotional pain.

She said: “I was feeling so depressed, I tried to fill the void I was feeling inside with food and my eating spiralled totally out of control.

“I gained nearly two stone in six weeks and felt so frumpy and worthless.”

But the day her stretch leggings split was the turning point for Mrs Stylianou that would lead to a whole new life.

She said: “I looked in the mirror and hated what I had become. I felt worried and ashamed at the example I was setting my daughter and I vowed to do something.”

Mrs Stylianou found a local Slimming World group and within 21 weeks had lost the weight and was enjoying activities such as Zumba and running and playing in the park with her daughter.

Mrs Stylianou was so inspired by her experiences she decided to relaunch a Slimming World Group at St John the Evangelist Parish Centre in Bourne Hill, Palmers Green.

She said: "I had always shied away from social occasions or activity, sitting on the side-lines, but now I feel happy and confident and willing to try new things and enjoy life.

“I feel as though I have changed my life and also given my daughter the best start in life too, which is a great feeling.”