A Beccles man who couldn't do a skydive because of his weight lost an impressive two-and-a-half stone in just five months so he could fulfil his dream.

Arthur Ling, known to everyone as Bimbo, was told at 19-and-a-half stone that he was too heavy to do a tandem jump so he decided to take matters into his own hands by putting himself on a strict diet.

By switching his daily sandwiches and cakes to a tin of sardines, fruit, yoghurt and a smaller dinner plate Mr Ling saw the pounds drop off.

And his wife Margaret agreed that if he slimmed down she would pay for him to do the skydive.

He said: 'I always fancied doing it so I just took the plunge and enquired about it. Unfortunately I was too heavy so I decided to give it a go and lose some weight just by doing it myself at home.

'I banned my wife from cooking cakes and I changed what I ate. I love my food and I used to have big plates.

'I also decided while doing it that I would raise some money for the East Anglian Air Ambulance when I got to do the jump.'

Between spring and the autumn by sheer determination Mr Ling dropped the required weight, leaving him able to sign up for the skydive at Ellough Airfield.

'I don't live far from Ellough Airfield and I've often stood in my garden and watched the skydivers,' he said.

'When I got into the aeroplane and sat on the edge I did wonder if I was doing the right thing, but when the parachute opened it was fantastic, a completely clear day and I could see for miles.'

He raised £2,110 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance and was joined on the day by his friend Mark Harvey who also completed the skydive to raise money for a national children's charity.

Mr Ling said: 'I was proud that I did it, we did say that the next thing I was going to do was wing walk but whether I'll get that far is another question!'