A Wells slimming consultant, who feared she would never be able to have children due to suffering from Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome (PCOS), has welcomed her first child - after losing almost three stone in weight.

Sarah Sanger, aged 33, was just a child when she developed the rare condition which affects around 10 per cent of women - causing her to suffer from excess hair, hormonal imbalances and irregular periods.

Sadly, she was picked on by school bullies and soon began to gain weight from the age of 11 as she turned to food for comfort.

Sarah said: "It was no picnic growing up.

"My school life felt like hell. I was always a chunky girl, but with added extras, like having unwanted hair mostly visible on my face.

"I used to get bullied at school, no matter how much I tried to cover myself up and I was called upsetting names like 'a freak', and 'a man' which no young girl wants to hear.

"This really made me an anxious person and set my self esteem at an all-time low. I used to comfort eat to try to make things better."

At the age of 12, Sarah sadly lost her mother to heart failure and after going to live with her grandfather, she learned how to cook healthy meals and gain more confidence in herself as she shed the pounds through her teenage years.

She graduated from university with a degree in Fine Art but when her grandfather fell ill she once again turned to food as a comfort and began to gain weight once more.

Sadly he also fell victim to heart failure and passed away in 2011.

In the hope of happier times, Sarah moved to Glastonbury, where she felt able to focus on her health.

She joined Slimming World and changed her relationship with food - satisfying her hearty appetite thanks to the eating plan which still allowed her to enjoy her favourite meals and treats.

She also began to exercise and lost three stone in weight - while gaining bags of energy and control over her PCOS, seeing her symptoms reduce.

Slimming World's Extra Easy plan involves filling up on unlimited "free foods" which include lean meat, fish, eggs, pasta, potatoes and vegetables, while balancing controlled amounts of calcium and fibre with a smaller amount of higher calorie, less filling food and drinks.

Members are also encouraged to become more active during their weight loss journey to help them maintain their target weight once they achieve it.

Sarah has since become a Slimming World consultant after wanting to help others feel how she felt, empowering others and giving them the confidence to reach their target weight.

As a result of her own success, Sarah was last year delighted to learn she was pregnant after fearing her condition may mean she may never have children.

In November, she and her partner Chris welcomed baby Skye to their family following a low risk pregnancy through which Sarah was able to food optimise fully, and safely.

She said: "Chris and I are just over the moon.

"I always knew I'd love being a Mummy. People tell you, there's nothing like having your own baby, there certainly isn't.

"I thought I was a smiley happy person, but she's just the most happy little thing I've ever seen. She really has completed us."

The weight loss organisation is endorsed by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) to support pregnant women and breastfeeding mums in managing their weight.

Cathy Warwick, chief executive of the RCM, said: "Nothing could be more vital than the work of the RCM and Slimming World to improve the health of women and, through this, their babies.

"Their approach to weight management with pregnant women is sound, achieves positive results and helps to change the lives of many women."

Sarah runs groups in Wells on Wednesday evenings and Thursday mornings. For more information, contact her on 07715 958590.