A 25-year-old resident at a local care home has transformed his life by losing a whopping nine stone in weight.

Rakesh Mehta, of High Worple residential home, in Rayners Lane, Harrow, has Down's Syndrome but has not let his learning disabilities stand in the way of finding a job, losing weight and leading a healthier lifestyle.

The home for Asians with learning disabilities is run by ASRA Greater London Housing Association and staff work closely with residents to help improve their quality of life and increase their independence.

Working as a cloak room assistant, Rakesh is proud of his job as only one in five adults with Down's Syndrome manage to find work.

By following a personal care plan, Rakesh swapped buttered bread and junk food for salad and gujarati vegetarian dishes and his weight dropped from 23 stone to 13.5 stone in two years.

He said: "Inside I feel great and there's no ill health any more.

"I've realised that I love walking and even discovered the confidence to get a part time job.

"Before losing weight I would sit and eat because I was bored, but now I go to work, take lots of walks and help other residents stick to their healthy eating plans."

A local doctor wrote to the team at High Worple praising their efforts as many people with Down's Syndrome struggle with their weight.