A health scare which left a mobile DJ from St Keverne fearing he was suffering a heart attack, inspired him to lose weight and organise a marathon walk to raise money for Cornwall Air Ambulance.

Michael Ross Williams has organised The Stank – a 26.2 mile sponsored walk from St Keverne Square to Tesco in Helston and back again which he will tackle on Sunday, May 3.

As well as raising money for the charity, Michael, 31, has seen an additional benefit to all his training – he has lost 7st 4lbs and trimmed 16inches off his waistline. He said: “I have always been a big lad. At my heaviest I weighed almost 26 stone.”

Michael was prompted to lose weight and improve his fitness after his a scary moment on the dance floor. “I am a mobile DJ and one night in September 2014 I did three or four party dances and by the end of it I felt as if I was having a heart attack,” he said.

“My brother was my roadie for the night and has since told me he was mere seconds from calling an ambulance. It was this and the fact I could no longer fit in to clothes that I decided I had to lose weight.”

Michael’s plan of weight-loss action has so far consisted of joining Slimming World and changing his diet, and, of course, going for frequent “stanks” (the Cornish term for walks) often with friends.

He said: “I changed my diet completely. I cut out crisps and chocolate and the weight started to drop. To enhance it and keep the weight loss going I took up walking and found I enjoyed it.

“It was in December/January I set myself a challenge to increase my walking mileage and found I enjoyed this too. I joked to a few people maybe I should walk a marathon. My group encouraged me to do so and The Stank was born.

“In the seven months since my ‘scare’ I have come a long way. It is a great feeling to be able to give something back and now I am a healthier happier person.”

To sponsor Michael go to www.justgiving.com/TheStank; or text STNK99 and state the amount (ie STNK99 £3) to 70070.

Pix attached of Michael before and after weight loss.