A man who was told he was on his way to an early grave when he reached 40 stone has completed the Great North Run.

Darren ‘Dibsy’ McClintock, 28, lost 19 stone in a year to take part in half marathon, completing the course in two hours and 43 minutes.

After finishing the race with another 57,000 runners he said: ‘I’m alright, my legs are hurting a bit.

‘But the support there was mental. I didn’t realise how much support there would be, people shouting along the way, it was unbelievable.

‘It’s an amazing feeling afterwards, knowing you have done it. I found it hard but the sense of achievement is unbelievable.

‘If you’d told me I would be doing the Great North Run, even a month ago, I would have laughed. I’ll definitely do that again next year and hopefully get a better time as well.’

He gave up fizzy drinks and alcohol, swapped takeaways for a calorie-controlled diet and embarked on a rigorous exercise plan.

Gym boss Mike Hind, 36, who has helped him throughout the weight loss, said he was hugely proud of Dibsy’s achievements.

He said: ‘I’m like his dad, I’m so proud of him. When I think about what we have achieved together, last year he couldn’t even run a bath.

‘I’ll be honest, it was hard – it wasn’t easy – but wanted to do it in under four hours and did it in two hours and 43 minutes so we smashed that.’

Dibsy and Mike were part of a team raising funds for the Boro Walkers Association.

The pair thanked all those who have donated and supported them on the journey so far.

He now hopes to raise enough money for an operation to remove his excess skin, left behind by the dramatic weight loss.

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