A DIET club which was launched by a hypnotherapist who lost six stones is celebrating one year of "transforming" lives.

Maureen McGonigle launched The No 1 Diet Club, which meets each week at Chain Lane Community Centre.

In its first year, the group has acquired more than 40 members and Maureen says it is something she was spurred on to do after her own experiences.

Maureen says there has been lots of success stories, including some who have reverted type two diabetes and lots who have lost around a stone in their first week and who are no longer on medication for blood pressure.

Maureen, from Haresfinch, said: “The Club is completely different to any other weight loss club out there.

"Having struggled to lose weight for most of my life, I realised that I needed far more than just to be told what to eat and drink. I needed emotional support and help with motivation and advice on how to have a healthy relationship with food.

"As a clinical hypnotherapist, having lost six and a half stones I wanted to help other people transform their lives and their health by losing weight.

"In conjunction with Dr Zoe Harcombe I created The No 1 Diet Club. The Club has a craving busting eating plan plus phenomenal support and fortnightly hypnosis recordings, plus informative talks on everything from the latest health news to improving self esteem and mind hacks."

She added: "Our Club offers a two pronged attack to help you lose weight. We look at your inner world, emotions, feelings, the way you dialogue with yourself plus your outer world.

"The food you eat and the exercise you take. It is only by using this inner and outer world approach that you will truly be able to form a long term healthy relationship with food."