An Orpington man has honoured his late friend’s dying wish for him to lose weight and dropped an astonishing 146lbs.

Retail assistant Mark Smithers weighed 334lbs when his mum’s best friend Margaret Johnson made one last request for him to lose weight, before she died of cancer last year.

The 30-year-old, of Chelsfield Lane, reached his target weight of 188lbs in August this year after sticking to an extreme low-calorie diet and exercising three times a week.

He told News Shopper: “I have been overweight since I left school. I went on all these different diets, lost the weight and then piled it back on again.

“I made a promise to Maggie, who was terminally ill, that I would lose the lot. I had known her all my life and she was like a second mum to me. My own mum grew up with her.”

News Shopper:

His mum Lesley Smithers, who is recovering from cancer, wants to follow in her son’s footsteps and lose weight so she can have reconstructive surgery.

The 59-year-old clairvoyant said: “I’m now doing the diet. Mark’s inspired me so much and he’s helping me. I want to get shot of three stone.

“The ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures are astounding. He looks like two different people.”

News Shopper:

Mr Smithers, who has one brother, has lost the weight using a very low-calorie diet plan from meal replacement company, Slim and Save.

He said: “I didn’t want to end up dead before my mum. I felt tired all the time and I didn’t want to go out.

“I feel brilliant now. There is so much more I can do. And I can actually go into shops and choose smart clothes that fit.

“I would say everyone in my family is quite proud and I know Maggie is looking down proudly too with a great big smile.”