DROPPING nine stone has changed the life of a man who is now tackling a 100km ultra marathon along the Ridgeway despite weighing 28 stone just 20 months ago.

Adam Blanchard has spent the majority of his life overweight, admitting that takeaways, alcohol and cigarettes led to him hitting 388lbs aged 26.

Realising that his lifestyle was out of control, he began working out five times a week and got the help of a personal trainer.

20 months later he has lost nine stone and is taking on the ultramarathon along the Ridgeway to the Avebury Stone Circle on July 14 and 15.

Catering manager at Great Western Hospital, Mr Blanchard, 29, from West Swindon, said: “I decided to sign up to Dixons Carphone Race to the Stones mainly because I have spent the majority of my life saying and thinking I can’t do anything. I like to prove myself wrong and on the way show other people they can do the same.

"The tipping point, 26, I hit my heaviest of almost 28 stone. I was out of control and couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. I joined the gym and decided I would be exercising five times a week.

Walking through that door for the first time was one of the scariest things I’ve done. It felt like everyone was looking at the fat guy, what’s he doing here. As time went on the routine continued and I started to love the gym and exercising. I joined a new gym and decided to start seeing a personal trainer.

“Twenty months on, and I am a completely different person; I am fitter than I’ve ever been before, I am a healthy weight and I continue to train four or five times a week. I ran my first half marathon in October 2016, London Marathon in April 2017 and now Race To The Stones in 2018!”

Mr Blanchard is raising cash for the Brighter Futures appeal.