EIGHTEEN months ago Dave Flynn and Andy Lynes started their mission to get fit.

Now having shed more than seven stone between them, they were named Couple of the Year at their local slimming group and have transformed their lives too.

It was just over 18 months ago, after they’d moved to Deighton from Coventry, when Dave decided he wanted to lose some weight.

He said: “Andy had changed his career and we were away from home, didn’t know anybody and I was overweight and putting more weight on – I was comfort eating I suppose.

“After a while it dawned on me that I was wearing clothes which were an extra large size.

“I’m like a peacock, I want to look good, but I couldn’t buy the clothes I wanted to.

“So we decided to do something about it – and we’re so glad we did.”

Dave, 40, and Andy, 46, joined their local branch of Slimming World in a bid to change their lifestyle.

“It was something I needed to do and Andy felt the same too,” Dave added.

“Of course it was easier having someone else to lose weight with as we could help each other along if we struggled.

“I’d always perceived weight loss groups to be a bit like the sketch from Little Britain.

“It is female oriented, but thankfully it wasn’t like that at all – they were welcoming and supportive and it’s just what we needed.”

Dave lost 2lbs in his first week and 5lbs in his second and the weight kept dropping off.

As well as changing their eating habits, they’d regularly take their dog Monkey for long walks.

In total, Dave lost 4st 4lbs and Andy lost 3st 5lbs.

Dave, who works as a retail customer service adviser, and Andy, a driving instructor, were voted Couple of the Year at the Honley Slimming World group.

They made it to the national finals at the weekend along with 17 other couples, picked from 6,000 groups throughout the UK.

And although they just missed out on being named Couple of the Year nationally, they hope their story can inspire other men to beat the bulge too.

Dave added: “I feel so much better for it and am so glad I did it. I changed my job and my confidence level has grown.

“I work in a building with four levels and previously I’d be out of breath after the first set of steps. Now I can run up and down them fine.

“It’s made such a difference to both of us.

“Although we didn’t win it was great to get to the last 17 and nice to hear the stories of other people and know there are other people who have been through all we have and changed their lives too.”