An Everton FC fan shed an incredible 14 stone after a member of club staff noticed something concerning when she was watching a match at Goodison Park.
Vicky Harrison, 44, weighed a whopping 25 stone due to a diet that could see her putting away 20 cans of beer in a single day.
However, after a chance encounter with a member of Everton FC staff "saved her life", Vicky managed to lose more than half her body weight in an incredible transformation.
Vicky, who lives in Southport, struggled with her weight after turning to alcohol in an attempt to block out painful memories of her abusive childhood.
She says that at her lowest point she would "knock herself out" by drinking "a load of beers and a bottle of gin".
As well as putting away a worrying amount of booze on "bad days", Vicky would regularly self-harm due to issues stemming from her childhood.
Vicky said: "I had abusive childhood issues which probably led to self-harm as a teenager. The self-harm could go from cutting, overdoses, I squirted bleach down my throat. Anything and everything.
"It sounds crazy but the physical pain is preferable to things that go on in your head."
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She added: "Before I started losing weight I was over 25 stone. If I was having a bad day I would just get a load of beers, bottle of gin and just knock myself out with it. I was still functioning but it wasn't a life. It was horrible.
"I could drink 20 cans of beer in a day. I would self-harm regularly. I would just try and block everything and anything out."
But Vicky's life was "saved" when a volunteer from Everton in the Community noticed self-harm scars on her arm while she was at a match at Goodison Park.
The kind-hearted volunteer told Vicky about Girls On Side - an Everton-run community venture that supports women with mental health issues.
Girls On Side provides peer support and social activities aimed at helping women improve their confidence and self-esteem.
The group changed Vicky's life - getting her into the gym and exercising to lose 14 stone and providing her with an incredible support network.
Vicky, who is now training to be a gym instructor, said: "With the Girls On Side programme, it gave me the confidence and the support to say I can do this a different way."
She added: "I wouldn't be able to do what I do without them. Even if it's just on our WhatsApp having a laugh and a moan, it can get you through the day.
"I still struggle with self-harm thoughts but it's a case of trying to break that cycle."
Vicky joked: "If you told me a battle was about to commence and you could have Duncan Ferguson or the girls from Girls On Side... I'd have the girls every time."
If you want to find out more about the work Girls On Side do in helping women in the community, click or tap here.
Everton in the Community’s award-winning mental health programmes have provided life-changing and life-saving support to people across Merseyside since 2007.
The Club and its official charity want to increase access to care through The People’s Place, a proposed open-door facility on the Goodison Campus which will deliver a range of mental health programmes and enable signposting to other services.
If you need mental health support or to find out more about The People’s Place project, click here. Donate to Everton in the Community. Text EITC31 £5 to 70070.
