WHEN horsewoman Sharon Crabbe suffered a long spell of ill health culminating in her having a kidney removed she found herself in a dark place.

She turned to food for comfort and put on nearly three stone in weight. At one point the only clothes she could fit into were her pyjamas.

Ms Crabbe, who lives in Potterne, near Devizes said: "Serious kidney disease had kept me from work for nearly 18 months, complications after surgery led to more operations, finally resulting in the removal of one kidney.

“ I was in a bad place. I became very depressed and I turned to food to cheer myself up, but then I’d feel guilty and even more depressed.

"I really missed being with my horses, they were getting fat in the field and I was comfort eating to try make myself feel better. I was heavier than I’d ever been by nearly 3 stone and could only fit into pyjamas."

The riding instructor felt like life was passing her by but when she started to feel better physically she was keen to get back into the saddle and get her life back to normal.

But she found her weight was preventing her from enjoying riding. She said: "I found it really difficult.Those extra pounds made such an impact, I couldn’t even swing my beautiful western saddle up onto my horse, let alone heave my body up there again, and my little horse would be none too pleased to cart me about anyway.

"As for getting into my jeans, that was a non starter."

She decided to tackle her weight and was recommended Slimming World in Devizes by a fellow horseman. She said: "I was very apprehensive about joining, and had no idea what to expect.

"But I needn’t have worried, the consultant was so friendly and welcoming and the group were amazing, put me at ease straight a way. I still remember the first time I stepped off the scales with a 3.5lb loss, I think I let out a cowboy whoop.

“I’d thought of giving up my horses, hanging up my cowboy boots and leaving my saddle to gather dust in a heap on the floor. But now I feel fab and I think my horse is pretty pleased with the new me.”

She has now lost the weight she gained and was so impressed with Slimming World that she has become a consultant herself and is setting up a new evening group which opens at Devizes Conservative Club in London Road on September 3.