A HOSPITAL cook is featuring in a national slimming magazine after a spectacular weight loss.

When Christine Tonge, of Bishop Auckland, first stepped on the scales at her local slimming club she weighed in at 21st 1lb and wore a size 32 dress.

Now, three years later, the 43-year-old mother-of-four has lost a huge 10st and is a shapely size 12.

Mrs Tonge, whose story is featured in September's issue of Slimming magazine, said: "I'd always been a big girl and married my husband, David, in a size 18 wedding gown.

"I put on weight with each pregnancy, which I found impossible to lose. I tried dieting many times, but never got anywhere.

"I was a typical busy mum, very little time to myself, and my job as a hospital cook didn't help. It was embarrassing when they had to order my uniform specially because they didn't come in size 32."

Slimming magazine editor Marie Farquharson said: "We were all so impressed by Christine's fantastic achievement and by the way she's turned her life around."