Problem: By. Katy Winter. A woman who used to wear size 24 clothes has shed 6st in just 14 months after finding love at her slimming class. Liz McGuiness, 43, weighed 18st 7lb and was plagued with health problems because of her obesity. Surprisingly, despite being a Slimming World leader she was unable to shift her own extra pounds despite watching others slim down. Liz McGuiness weighed 18st 7lb (left) before joining Slimming World and dropping down to 12st 7lb (right) Liz met chef Paul at their SLimming World class and love soon blossomed between the overweight couple. Liz became so overweight that everyday tasks, even fitting into the bath, became a chore and she was suffering weight-related health problems. But then two years ago she met chef Paul, 52, at her own class in Wallasey, Wirral and love soon blossomed between the couple. And it was that love that finally helped Liz lose the weight she needed to. Since they have been together Liz has dropped five dress sizes and is now a size 12, weighing 12st 7lb. Thrilled Liz from Wallasey, Merseyside said: 'I am the lightest I have ever been in 23 years. 'I feel fabulous so much so that my head sometimes has to catch up with what I've achieved as I still see myself as a 'big' person. 'People walk past me all the time and don't recognise me and when I say it's me they are astounded. 'It is still almost unbelievable to me to be buying size 12 clothes and them fitting whereas before I would just grab any size 24 and pray that it fitted me. Keen to look her best alongside her new man, Liz started a food optimising eating plan with Slimming World. The plan encourages members to eat foods that satisfy the appetite and are low in energy density for example vegetables, pasta, potatoes and lean meat. Liz says that Paul's support was crucial in helping her drop from a size 24 (right, holding her old jeans) to a slim size 12. Liz said: 'I've been a weight loss leader for ten years and Paul had been an on and off member for a few years. 'He came back a few years ago and wanted to lose the weight he had put back on. 'A friend of mine got in touch and said that Paul really liked me but was too shy to ask me out for a drink in case I said no. 'But we went on a date and when we had our first kiss I just knew that he was the man for me. 'He admitted that despite wanting to lose weight the real reason he came back to the group and came every week was to see me.' The road to her stunning figure has not been easy and even as a Slimming World leader, Liz struggled to stick to the diet that has ultimately seen her waistline shrink. Liz is now helping Paul lose weight, and he has already lost 15lb of his goal of 8st. The diet displays 'free foods' which can be eaten without weighing or measuring. Whereas higher density foods such as chocolate and crisps are controlled by a 'syns' counting system and each member is allowed a certain amount of syns per day. She said: 'As a slimming world leader it was a bit embarrassing that I was giving all this advice to my members but not following it myself. 'I always thought to myself I wonder what they think about me being in this job at the size I am. 'All through my childhood I was called the chubby one. 'I even remember teachers saying I was chubby and over the years as I have got bigger that complex has stayed. 'Everyday life became a chore and everything was an effort to the point where I couldn't even fit in the bath properly. 'I couldn't put my shoes and socks on properly and was putting on weight in places that really freaked me out like my knees and the back of my neck.' Liz is hoping to now enter the National Slimming World Consultant Slimmer of the Year competition after her dramatic weight loss. She said: 'I knew I needed to do something about my weight and having Paul spurred me on. 'I knew that being overweight even if I was in a happy relationship would affect my self-esteem. 'It gives me such a buzz when Paul tells me how proud he is of me and he is so supportive of my weight loss. Liz is now helping her boyfriend to fight the flab. Chef Paul Partridge said: 'I am very proud of Liz's weight loss and I think she looks amazing.'My aim is to loose enough to be comfortable doing things I may struggle with now, for example to go places and sit comfortably in seats like the theatre and on planes. 'I want to make Liz be as proud of me as I am of her. ' Paul has already lost 15lb in just one week and hopes to lose a further 8st to get to his goal weight. She said: 'Hopefully I can help Paul with his weight issues and make him feel as good as his encouragement makes me. 'We are both in the mind set to lose weight now so we make sure if we go out for to restaurants we are making healthy choices. 'It is easy to fall off the wagon with diets but Paul is really good and doesn't tempt me with any naughty foods. 'We are a good combination and are just as loved up as we were when we first met.'

What are highlight points?
Answer: Always larger, Liz joining Slimming World when her size started making daily life difficult. Despite becoming a group leader, found losing weight herself a struggle. Met Paul in her group and the pair began dating. Since being together Liz has dropped a further 5 dress sizes. Liz is now helping Paul lose weight, and he has already lost 15lb of his goal of 8st.

Text: An Australian rugby league player has been charged with dealing drugs just three months after his teammate was served a court notice for the same offence. Chris Houston, who plays for Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League competition, has been charged with supplying ecstasy and cocaine according to reports in Australian newspapers on Monday. The 25-year-old second-row forward will appear in court next month, and has been suspended by his club. "Newcastle Knights player Chris Houston has been stood down immediately and indefinitely following reports he was charged this afternoon on drug-related allegations," a Knights statement said on Monday. Houston's teammate Danny Wicks was charged with six counts of supplying prohibited drugs and two counts of drug possession in December. Wicks' younger brother and his sister-in-law have also been charged as part of a police investigation into drugs suppliers, along with soccer player Steven Stefanovski. Wicks and Houston both moved to Newcastle from Sydney club St George Illawarra at the end of 2007. Wicks agreed to cancel his $180,000-a-year contract in December, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, while Houston is contracted to the Knights until 2012. It is the second year in a row that the sport has been hit by controversy ahead of a new season, which begins in two weeks. Last year, Manly and Australia fullback Brett Stewart had to be removed from NRL advertisements following allegations of sexual assault. Former Newcastle and Australia star Andrew Johns also made headlines after his retirement in 2007 when he was caught in possession of ecstasy in Britain, and later admitted he had been a regular user of the drug during his career.
Highlights:
Australian rugby league player Chris Houston charged with dealing drugs. He will appear in court next month, accused of supplying cocaine and ecstasy. His Newcastle clubmate Danny Wicks was also charged with dealing in December. Newcastle and Australia star Andrew Johns admitted using ecstasy in 2007.