FIONA Lanzino was just seven weeks’ pregnant when her husband died suddenly from an undiagnosed stomach abscess when they were living in Bermuda.

“I was born in Bermuda so when I was 28 I decided to go back because I wanted to see what it was like,” the 41-year-old graphic designer explains.

“It was a good life with lots of parties and good food. I was there for about 10 years and it’s where I met my husband, who was also an expat.”

The couple married in January 2003 and by November 2005 Fiona was pregnant with their first child.

“I was just seven weeks’ pregnant when my husband Michael passed away suddenly.

“It was a total shock and completely out the blue.

“It turned my life upside down although I was determined to be strong because I didn’t want anything to affect our baby.”

The devastated mum-to-be stayed on the island until she gave birth to their daughter before moving back to the UK to live with her parents in Mudeford, near Christchurch.

“I guess it was a combination of being home, as there were lots of new chocolates and crisps to try, and with everything that had happened I kind of let myself go and started piling in the pounds.

“But when I turned 40 in January last year I realised it was time to turn my life around so I joined Weight Watchers.

“I’ve lost 94 pounds, which is around six and a half stone, and when I reach my target of 100 pounds I’m going to treat myself to a shopping trip to NYC to buy myself a new wardrobe.

“I went back to Bermuda last year to see my friends and some of them had to do a double take because they hardly recognised me!”