A LARGER than life councillor is taking his role as chairman of a council health committee very seriously.

So seriously that, as part of the Bolton Evening News Fit For Life campaign, Cllr Andy Morgan, chairman of the Health, Overview and Scrutiny Committee, has vowed to lose weight and improve his fitness.

The Conservative councillor says he will not be a hypocrite sitting on a health committee while weighing in at 21st 5lb.

So the father-of-three starts his healthier lifestyle today - and will report to Bolton Evening News readers just how he is getting on every Friday.

Careful not to dive too deeply into the diet and exercise regime straight away, Cllr Morgan will start his new lifestyle gently. He is beginning by cutting down on his favourite Chinese takeaway, replacing breakfast and lunch with a milkshake and learning to fill up on healthier snacks, such as fruit. Exercise will start with some walking and will build up to a session in the gym.

Cllr Morgan said: "This is me trying to lead by example, because it is hypocritical of me telling other people to be healthy when I am clearly not.

"My mum, dad and brothers are big and I am aware that, although my blood pressure and cholesterol are all right at the moment, this will not be the case for long.

"Not being able to eat with the kids and my wife Helen is a big problem because of my council commitments and I do not find the time often enough to sit down with them. My family keep me on my toes as far as exercise goes, but I will be making an effort to do more.

"It's going to be hard because I find eating and drinking such a pleasurable thing. I am not aiming to lose five stones all at once. I am going to take it one stone at a time."

Last week's diet consisted of missing breakfast, snacking on biscuits throughout the day, grabbing a burger for lunch and not having the time to sit down to eat an evening meal.

The new diet of Cllr Morgan consists of a herbal milkshake for breakfast and lunch, snacking on fruit and eating a decent evening meal with his wife Helen and children Elliott, aged five, Oliver, aged four, and 10-month-old Dominic.

Visit our Fit for life section HERE