SUMO sized Sadie has been shedding the pounds and improving her life with help of a PDSA pet hospital.

Owner George Chaplin, 75, of Grays, blamed the Labrador’s unrelenting appetite and fondness for leftovers for the weight gain, which left the beloved pet struggling to move.

But now, thanks to a new diet and exercise regime, overseen by PDSA vet nurse Kerry Griffith from the PDSA Pet Hospital in Basildon, Sadie is becoming fit and healthy - and has even jointly won the charity’s fit club slimmer of the year award.

Mr Chaplin said: “PDSA has given us the help we desperately needed to kick start the change, there’s no way I could have done this myself. She’s a totally different dog now and is so much happier.

“Before I would have to pull on her lead to get her on a walk, but now she waits for me by the door and she’s got so much more energy.

“She loves playing with a ball and toys too, which she wasn’t interested in before.

“We go on two walks a day with a group of dog walkers.

“At the beginning of her diet she would waddle at the back of the group, but now she bounds ahead and that’s great to see.”

PDSA vet Olivia Anderson-Nathan, who helped to judge the competition, said: “It has been hugely rewarding to see our Pet Fit Club pets’ weight decrease over the last six months thanks to their new diet and fitness regimes.

“Their success is testament to the hard work of their owners and our PDSA veterinary teams across the UK.

“Pet obesity is a growing issue that affects millions of UK pets. About 40 per cent of dogs and cats in the UK are estimated to be overweight or obese.”

Sadie, who lives with George in Grays, shared the award with Borris, a once-obese Cavalier King Charles spaniel, which tipped the scales at a whopping 4st 6lb, before losing 25 per cent of his body weight.

Labrador Sadie, who had ballooned to 6st 9lb has now slimmed down to a much healthier and happier 4st 13lb.