Woman re-mortgages house for op

The gastric band stopped Vanessa from feeling hungry

A nurse from East Sussex has re-mortgaged her home to pay for life saving surgery to help her lose weight.

A year ago, Vanessa Mealing, 32, from Eastbourne, weighed 21 stone (133kg) and was told by doctors she would die if she did not stop eating.

In July 2004, Mrs Mealing borrowed £8,000 for an operation to place a gastric band around her stomach to stop her feeling hungry.

She has since lost 10 stone (63kg) and said life has "completely changed".

Mrs Mealing suffered from an illness which meant that she never felt full up.

Doctors warned Vanessa that she was at high risk of a stroke

She would consume about 3,100 calories a day - the equivalent of 12 burgers or six pizzas.

"I felt very unfit, very short of breath and had high blood pressure which I had to take medication for.

"But now I have completely changed. I think my husband's a bit frightened of me because I've changed so much but he's over the moon because it's completely transformed me."