A visit to the HRI dining room has transformed the lives of colleagues, Ellie Pulcella and Lyn Mather.

Ellie  and Lyn both spotted the banner for a new app and following "My Fitness Pal" has seen them lose more than seven stones between them.

Ellie, 47, A&E housekeeper and Ly, equipment librarian got to know each through sharing the app and are now sharing each other’s success.

Ellie, has shed five stones (down from 16.5 stones) driven on by her recent holiday to the Dominican Republic. Lyn is nearly 2.5 stones lighter and has been taken off tablets for her thyroid condition as a result.

The app sets a daily calories target per person to achieve the weight loss wanted in a set time. You fill in your age, height and weight and it works it out. Ellie was set a limit of 1,200 calories and Lyn was 1,400. Calorie counters on menus in bars and restaurants and information on food packs in supermarkets helped them achieve their weight loss.

Ellie says: “It’s like having your own slimming club in your pocket. You have to trust yourself to stick to it, like any diet, but being at work makes it easier.

“If I don’t need a lift I take the stairs everywhere and my uniform has shrunk. I don’t get out of breath any more. Being at HRI keeps me active and gives me a workout every day and I feel so much better. Knowing my holiday was looming was the incentive I needed!”

Lyn, 59, has been taken off her tablets and says: “ I feel a lot better. I feel more nimble and had to buy new clothes which has been great.”