Weighing a staggering 34st at just 19, Bethany Walton was cruelly labelled Britain’s Fattest Teen.
To her relief, in 2006 she was granted a gastric sleeve operation on the NHS and managed to shed an incredible 13st in two years, but after "stretching her stomach" by failing to control her portion sizes she's regained over a third of the weight.
Now Bethany plans to have a gastric bypass, costing £11k, after an anonymous benefactor came forward and offered to pay for it.
Bethany, who's 5ft 7 and currently weighs 26st, says: “I know I should be able to take control of my weight, but I struggle with portion sizes. A few years after I’d had my gastric sleeve I started feeling hungry again and was able to eat more. I stretched my stomach and soon put weight on. I felt like a failure but I couldn’t stop myself.
"An anonymous benefactor got in touch after seeing me on a TV show earlier this year and offered to pay for the surgery. I was thrilled - I could never have afforded it. I've heard gastric bypasses are more effective than sleeves, because they stop your body absorbing as much food. I'm determined to keep the weight off this time."
Read more in Closer, out now.**