A STUDENT who lost almost half her body weight and dropped seven dress sizes is celebrating winning a slimming award.

Kelly Meager, of Carnoustie Close, Thamesmead, was crowned Slimming World Young Slimmer of the Year after losing 10 stone 9lbs in 21 months.

At 19-years-old she was a size 26, weighed 23-and-a-half stone and suffered dangerously high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Miss Meager, now aged 21, weighed her heaviest when she went to the University for Creative Arts in Canterbury.

She said: “You’re supposed to have the time of your life at uni but I just hid in my room and lived off takeaways.

“I didn’t feel 19. I felt old, overweight and unhealthy.”

The 6ft fine art student hoped university would be a fresh start but her first night out left her a prisoner in her own room.

She said: “We all went to a bin bag party and everyone had to make their outfit from a bin bag. But I couldn’t wear one because I couldn’t find a bin bag big enough.

“When I saw the pictures the next day on Facebook I was horrified. I looked huge.

“I started refusing offers to go out and my room became my prison.”

Miss Meager decided to attend Sally de-Vere’s Slimming World group in Canterbury with a friend in October 2008.

She quit her diet of takeaways and joined a gym.

Now weighing 12 stone 12lb, Miss Meager said: “I finally feel young. I’m loving life for the first time ever and have probably added years to my life too so I want to make the most it.”