A SUPER slimmer who shed almost 12 stone has been congratulated by Coronation Street beauty Samia Ghadie at a national slimming competition.

Alwyn Beckles, 44, was one of just 36 entrants from across the UK and Ireland to win a place in the finals of Slimming World’s Man of the Year 2013 contest where he met Samia, who is famous for playing Maria Connor in the ITV1 soap.

The dad-of-two and step-dad of six, of Burton Gardens, Brierfield, used to tip the scales at 24st 11oz and had a 54-inch waist.

But now he is half the man he used to be after he was ‘volunteered’ for slimming classes.

Alwyn, a service engineer for Herbert Retail, said: “I didn’t lose weight to win a competition. I did it to improve my health.”

Angela Fielden, who runs the Nelson group which Alwyn attends, said: “Alwyn is almost unrecognisable from the man who walked into my group.”