A MIDDLEWICH man who was given a reality check over his weight has decided to take part in the Bupa Great North Run and raise money for Diabetes UK by doing so.


Rob Bunn, 36, had a sudden realisation of his size last Christmas when he weighed 18st 3lb, and after a lot of badgering from his family, he is now three stone lighter and set to run the 13-mile course on Sunday, September 7.


“Last Christmas I weighed 18st 3lb, which I knew classed me as being obese,” Rob said.


“Mum really started giving me a hard time over it, but I think the turning point came when she and my dad, Mike, saw me eat an entire family-size trifle.


“I put my food intake into an app on my phone and realised I was eating around 4,000 calories a day which really shocked me because I didn’t realise I was eating that much.”


Rob’s mum, Jackie, was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes at the age of 55, and his late grandfather was only 35 when he was diagnosed with the same condition.


The risk of developing the condition was Rob’s main motivation behind getting into shape and he is also hoping to raise hundreds of pounds for Diabetes UK.


Rob said: “Being overweight is a real concern as I knew that it was a risk factor for getting Type 2 diabetes, especially as I already had a family history of it and I knew if I lost weight it would significantly reduce the risk.”


To sponsor Rob, visit justgiving.com/Rob-Bunn/.