Rock musician ditches post gig takeaways for crab sticks to shed an amazing eight stone

A Teesside musician has ditched the post gig takeaways to shed an impressive eight stone.

And, following his new found fitness, Gordon Waring has managed to complete a 21 mile walk to raise money for Leukaemia Care, after his stepson was diagnosed with the illness. Gordon, 63, pulled on his walking boots to complete the 21-mile coastal path walk from Whitby to Scarborough and has raised around £2,000 for the charity.

Dad-of-two, Kevin McPike, Gordon's stepson, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia earlier this year. Thankfully his brother, Michael, has been found to be an exact match and Kevin will be undergoing a stem cell transplant in the coming weeks.

• READ MORE: £3.5m gospel hall plans submitted for Nunthorpe community site

• READ MORE: Newport Bridge to close for seven weeks for £1.5m maintenance project

Gordon, an operations manager with a car parts company, said seeing Kevin so poorly spurred him on to do the charity walk - something he couldn't even have thought about doing a year ago. He said: "It was really good. It was very challenging with about six miles to go, my old bones were starting to play up, but other than that it was fine, I had also picked a good day for it."

He completed the feat in 9 hours and 36 minutes.

Gordon, who plays bass guitar in a couple of classical rock bands, said he has always been a 'big lad' but knew it was time to take action when his weight tipped 23 stone. He joined a Slimming World group at Coulby Newham and during the course of a year managed to get his weight down to around 15 stone - and even picked up the group's Man of the Year Award.

Gordon said: "I have been up and down over the years, but this time I knew I really needed to do it. It is all about changing eating habits and being in the right mindset.

"I am in a couple of bands and after a gig I would grab a takeaway - but I don't now, I just take some crab sticks with me."

After ditching the pounds Gordon's health has improved dramatically, he used to use a whole asthma inhaler every week and now doesn't need it and he is no longer diabetic. He said before he would be out of breath walking upstairs and was riddled with aches and pains, but now he is a member of a walking group.

Anyone who would like to make a donation to Gordon's fundraising can do it here.