SUPER slimmer Nicola Ellery is strictly tripping the light fantastic.

Nicola is dancing on air after waltzing to the finals of a national slimming competition where she met Strictly Come Dancing star Ricky Whittle.

Nicola’s story featured in the Examiner last month where she revealed she’d slimmed down from 19st 6.5lb to 10st 5lb after attending Slimming World at Holmfirth Civic Hall for 17 months.

Nicola, of New Mill, became one of just 42 women from across the UK to reach the finals of Slimming World’s Woman of the Year 2010 competition, where she got to meet Ricky, who was runner-up on last year’s dance show.

Although she didn’t become overall champion, Nicola said: “It was a brilliant way to celebrate how far I’ve come.”

Ricky, who played Calvin Valentine in Hollyoaks, said: “Obesity is never out of the news, so for Nicola to be making the headlines for all the right reasons is brilliant.

“She should be an inspiration to other women in Holmfirth who want to slim down – I’m sure she’d be stunning out on the dance floor too.”