A MAN who lost five-and-a-half stone for his wedding has won a luxury holiday for his efforts.

Ricky Maher, 25, of Florence Road, Canvey, dropped from a size 46-inch waist to a size 34-inch waist in just eight months, after taking part in a weight loss competition at Fitness 4 Life gym, in Oak Road, Canvey.

To celebrate his success, generous staff at the family-run gym are sending him on an all-expenses paid cruise for two to France, after Mr Maher lost the highest percentage of body weight of the 50 people who took part.

He said: “After being overweight for 12 years it was getting to the stage where I could hardly do anything. But now I’ve amazed myself.

“I used to wake up feeling extremely tired and just sit on the sofa watching TV all night, but that has totally changed.

“I have lots more energy now and when I wake up I feel as if I have actually slept.”

Mr Maher joined the gym in May last year in an attempt to lose weight before marrying his wife, Amy, in July.

Since then he has gone from strength to strength, and is even encouraging his family to follow in his footsteps.

He said: “Losing all this weight has boosted my confidence, and everyone keeps saying it’s like I’m a different person.”

Owner David Rowe, 45, who runs the gym with his son Sam, 20, and wife Angela, 45, said: “It is not just his weight loss which is so amazing, but his fitness as well is phenomenal.

“I am really pleased for him, he’s worked really hard.”

Mr Rowe, of Newlands Road, Canvey, started the gym in 2009 after undergoing heart surgery to correct an aortic aneurysm, a collapsed valve in his heart, which could have ruptured and killed him at any time.

Since then, he has transformed himself from a carpet-cleaning magnate to a super-fit gym owner.

He said: “We are not trying to turn people into body building champions.

“We just want to help them make healthier lifestyle choices.”