SUPER slimmer Roy Lilly has shed an amazing 42 inches off his body and helped raise £8,000 for the Christie's Against Cancer Appeal. His success has inspired his fellow members of Worsley Weight Watchers and among those supporting his fund-raising is welfare worker and mother of two, Lindsay Pritchard of Irlam -- a new contender for his title. Between them they have shed more than 16 stone. Roy, of Thornton Road, Mosley Common, ballooned to 23 stone 2lbs six years ago, but after plucking up the courage to join Worsley Weight Watchers he trimmed down to a 14 stone 7lbs.

Lindsay, who works at St Teresa's Junior School, Irlam has fought a two year battle to bring her weight down to 11 st 9lb -- shedding a hefty 7st 8 lbs.

She said: "I don't know how I put on so much, but it was stopping me playing with the children and reached the point where I did not want to go out.

"Finally I couldn't stand it any longer and I just had to do something about it."

Roy, who has retired from his wholesale meat business, got himself sponsored to slim so drastically to raise cash for Christie's Against Cancer. The charity is close to his heart because both his wife Brenda and father Norman died from cancer. Each week, supported by business friends, he now runs a £1 a time raffle among the 40 club members with proceeds going towards the £25m centenary appeal of Manchester's famous cancer centre.

Each week Roy collects a healthy basketful of fruit donated by Thomas McLoughlin at Atherton fruit and fish specialists J and G Taylor, which he raffles to boost his cancer quest. Watched by Karen Bailey, coach at the slim club, from where he handed the latest £1,000 cheque to Christie's regional appeals officer Ceri Johnson, Roy said: "It's amazing how the money just keeps mounting up."

Much the same happened to his body mass in the early 90's.

He said: "Local children called me Mr Blobby and I seldom went out. I could not fit into theatre or cinema seats." It wasn't just embarrassment that Roy was risking. He said: "I was risking my life. The sheer bulk caused breathlessness, diabetes, high blood pressure and an aggravated heart condition."

But all that is in the past, thanks to his rigorous diet control and regular swimming, Roy has just passed a full medical -- and a significant milestone in his support for Christie's.