Slimmers celebrate a weight off their mind and body

They sipped champagne and nibbled melon balls, but it wasn't all glamour for finalists in the Unislimmer of the Year competition.

At the behest of photographers they were forced to traipse through the rain in Dublin yesterday clutching cardboard cut-outs of their former, cuddlier, selves.

Everyone knows clichés are flung around like custard pies at these competitions. But at least one offered by Unislim's founder, Agnes McCourt, was true; each of the 10 self-confident, svelte finalists really were winners yesterday, having lost more than 60 stone between them over the past year.

Dressed in a smart white trouser suit, Claire Roche (31) from Co Wicklow was awarded the ultimate accolade of Unislimmer of the Year and a cheque for €2,000 after losing six stone. She was joined by her husband, Patrick - three stone lighter himself since his wife began slimming - and her children, Caoimhe (2), Conor (6) and Eoin (4).

A year ago the chances of 26-stone Dubliner Ruaidhrí Moran (37) playing football with his son were slim to none. Having lost eight stone and eight pounds the manager of a daycare centre for the elderly said he felt like "a totally different person". Even his wife, Charlotte, had trouble recognising him on one occasion.

Joan Byrne (45) from Dublin was seven stone lighter since she began her slimming programme and had bitter memories of being humiliated by an air hostess when she couldn't get her seatbelt on properly. Due to jet off on a holiday to New Zealand she said she was looking forward to tightening her belt this time.

After receiving hampers of beauty products, the finalists swapped slimming tips with journalists while prizegiver Miriam Ahern looked on admiringly. The Taoiseach's wife, not a Unislim member, said the occasion was "very moving". "They are an inspiration to all of us," she said.