THESE two top slimmers resisted the greatest temptations of them all - chocolate, sweets and crisps - to lose five stone between them.

Sandra Armitage, 58, and Jacqui Caley, 40, work at The Candy Shop, in Brook Street, Selby.

The two Selby women are surrounded by fattening goodies all day long, but they resisted them to achieve their goals.

It took Sandra seven months to shed three stone. "At the beginning it was hard," she said.

"I used to like a bag of crisps. It was difficult resisting those at first, but we just got used to it.

"I keep looking at the awful photos from before I lost the weight and I think to myself: I'll never ever, ever, go back to that again'.

"I was exhilarated when I got to my target.

"It was the best feeling ever - it's difficult to put into words how brilliant I felt.

"Now I'm fitter - I can run up the stairs and I do things without becoming out of breath.

"It's just like winning the lottery. Nothing can describe how I felt when I got on those scales."

Sandra lost the weight in time for her Ruby Wedding last October and went on a cruise with her husband to celebrate.

"It was brilliant - we had a great time," she said.

"It was the best holiday I've had - they treated us like royalty."

She said she was totally changed since the weight loss.

"I'm a different person in the head as well as in the body - it's altered my whole attitude to life," she said.

It was Jacqui's idea to go to Weight Watchers. "We got together after Christmas and I mentioned it and Sandra said she'd come with me," Jacqui said.

"After the first meeting we knew there was no going back.

"The chocolate was difficult to start with, but the crisps were the main thing. I still avoid filling up the crisp counter up - if I can I get someone else to do it!"

It took Jacqui eight months to shed two stones and two pounds.

"It was an absolutely brilliant feeling when I reached my target," she said.

"We knew all along that we would do it.

"Sandra and I spent time together outside the shop, going for new clothes. As we to get smaller our clothes started to fall off.

"It's made a big difference to my life. I don't worry about what I'm going to put on before going to the wardrobe now.

"I'm not conscious of what I'm going to wear like I was before. I can go into most shops and pick anything up.

"It had got to the point where I didn't go out at all - now I can't wait."