IT was meant to be one of the happiest events of her life, but Lucy Penneck hid behind her wedding veil all day because she was so ashamed of her size.

But now the 31-year-old, who lives with her husband and three children in Bournemouth, says she feels 10 years younger after losing more than nine stone in weight.

She said: “I’ve got so much more energy now. I was dancing around the kitchen the other day and my son said: ‘Mummy, I didn’t realise you could jump.’”

Lucy who is 5ft 1ins tall, tipped the scales at 19 stone at her heaviest. She had tried various diets over the years but to no avail.

“I was always a chubby child but the weight really started piling when I had children,” she said.

“I realised that life was passing me by. I always sat on the sidelines.

“I would never take the children swimming because I was too embarrassed and it was always my husband who had to take them on the roller coaster rides.”

But Lucy, who is a teaching assistant, says she wanted to be a better role model for the children.

“When my youngest child Sophie was born, I didn’t want to miss her first swim or rollercoaster ride so I decided to join Slimming World.”

Since then she has lost 8 stone and 10 lbs and dropped from a dress size 24 to an 8.

“It’s not a diet, it’s more of a lifestyle – you can still enjoy big portions but of the right foods.

“I couldn’t have done it without the support of other group members and my consultant Michelle Locke.”

Lucy adds: “People I haven’t seen for a while often don’t recognise me.

“Even my husband looked straight through me when I was walking up the road and waving at him.

“He said he had forgotten I was so small now!”