A BRUSH with a fox almost cost Robert Cryer his life. But the 49-year-old factory worker reckons it is the best thing that ever happened to him.

Robert, of West Moors in Bournemouth, was in a coma for 10 days after a fox caused him to crash his motor scooter on his way to work.

“It ran out into my front wheel. I can remember flying up in the air and looking down at my scooter and then lying half on the verge and half of the road,” he says.

“Fortunately somebody found me and called an ambulance.”

The father of five, who weighed 22 stone 13lb at the time, was rushed into hospital suffering from broken ribs and internal damage.

Later that evening he developed breathing complications and was put in a coma for 10 days. He was in hospital for over a month.

“I used to suffer with breathing problems and bad skin,” he says.

“I also had sleeping problems and when I was in hospital they discovered I had sleep apnoea.

“It was then that I realised I had to something about my weight. It had gradually crept up over the years and I never did anything about it,” he explains.

“My daughter wanted me to lose weight before her wedding but it never happened.”

A few days later Robert spotted an advert for a local slimming club.

“I wanted to go along but was worried about being the only male so I asked my girlfriend to go with me.

“I was surprised how friendly and welcoming everyone was and the diet was so easy to follow – I never felt hungry at all. I lost six and a half pounds in the first week.”

Now Robert is literally half the man he used to be after shedding eight and a half stone in just under 11 months.

“I feel so much better. I no longer suffer with sleep apnoea, my skin condition has improved and I feel so much fitter.

“I can play with the grandchildren now rather than just sitting and watching them. I also run a couple of miles every night.”

Since then he has won several awards including slimmer of the month and is now setting up his own Slimming World group.

“It has changed my life in every way and I’m determined never to go back. Now I want to help others who need to lose weight too.”

Robert’s Slimming World group starts on Thursday May 5 at 7.30pm at St Osmund’s church hall in Florence road, Lower Parkstone.

He adds: “That fox gave me the wake-up call I needed. I have got my confidence back – I’m a new man now.”