A key worker has achieved her lockdown ambition by losing over six stone in weight.

Vicki Barnett, 28, who lives in Halesworth and works in a supermarket, was overwhelmed to have been asked to be a bridesmaid at her best friend's wedding prior to lockdown.

But she was concerned about her weight at the time, which was 18st 9lb, so she decided to join a Weight Watchers programme.

Vicki said: "Although I was excited by the news of being a bridesmaid, I was 24-26 in dress size and just felt this would scupper my best friend's day.

"I was nervous to start at first but my coach gave me small and achievable goals.

"I was getting off to a great start."

But then in March 2020 lockdown hit and with it came the postponement of her best friend's wedding.

She said: "I remember the day we went into lockdown I had a bottle of wine and just thought all my hard work was for nothing if the wedding was no longer going ahead."

But with the help of her coach, Vicki started attending virtual workshops and used the lockdown as a goal to lose weight.

The 28-year-old said: "I was working at the supermarket but I still managed to find the time to attend my weekly sessions and lose weight each week for 36 weeks on the trot.

"I used the lockdown and the postponed wedding as a goalpost to help me lose the weight."

Since the start of the pandemic, Vicki has managed to lose six stone and has gone from a dress size 24-26 to size 14.

In the end, her best friend had a small wedding due to coronavirus restrictions which meant that Vicki could no longer attend the wedding.

But she persevered with her weight loss despite this.

Vicki now fits into the bridesmaid dress she originally wanted to wear.

"The size 14 dress now fits and I cried when I found out.

"My aim is to continue losing more weight as we come out of lockdown and I am about to start the couch to 5k."