Mum Marie Hunter was shamed into losing six stone in weight – after she needed TWO wizard gowns to cover her during a visit to the Harry Potter Studios.
Marie, 34, tipped the scales at 20st 11lb and there wasn’t a wizard cloak big enough to fit round her size 24 figure when she posed for a fancy dress snap.
To her huge embarrassment two attendants had to pin two cloaks together to stretch around her so she could pose with daughter Neve, seven, and husband Dave.
The mum-of-one had already found herself too big to squeeze inside the famous blue car from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
And she said the incidents in October last year forced her to go on a strict diet – and she lost nearly six and a half stone.
She proudly returned to the studio in Watford, Herts last month with her family and niece, Dionne Bradley, 10, to show off her new size 14 figure.
Marie now weighs a healthy 14st 6lb and posed for the same photo and this time needed just one gown.
Marie, who lives in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk with painter and decorator Dave, 33, and Neve, said: “I decided to go for the first photo it even though I was insecure.
“We queued for ages and when we finally got to put on the wizard robes, I said to a worker jokingly ‘Have you got one big enough for me?’
“He said yes of course, but came back and said he didn’t.
“So he got two and pinned them together on my back in front of absolutely everybody in the queue and I had to put an arm in each robe with the spare arms hanging behind me.
“My daughter and husband looked so embarrassed and I was absolutely mortified.
“She hugged my leg and said ‘mummy it’s OK’ but she had gone bright red.
“I smiled for the photograph but I wanted to cry.
“You could also get photos of you on a broomstick and I really wanted one done but I didn’t because of how silly I’d look as such a large lady on such a small stick.
“It was just a horrible day that left me feeling anxious and upset.”
Marie had always been overweight and as a child hid chocolate under her bed.
Her weight spiralled out of control after her son, Luca, was stillborn in 2008.
She has lost 6st 4lbs in just over a year with the help of her local Slimming World group.
She added: “I have just always been an emotional eater, but as I ate more I became more depressed.
“Losing Luca was so hard that I didn’t even realise how big I was getting.
“I’m so glad I have finally lost all the weight. It felt so good to go back there and have none of the problems I experienced before.
“I’m so much happier now, and I know it’s made my family happier.
“My husband is very supportive and that’s really helped and he’s obviously pleased that I can have days out without feeling embarrassed and insecure.
“My arthritis has also completely eased up which has made me more active.”
