A DRUMCHAPEL bingo caller is celebrating shedding the pounds and scoring a blind 10 after meeting the love of his life at work.

Gary Paterson weighed almost 20 stone and described himself as “relatively shy” while working at the Glasgow Quay Mecca Bingo.

However, in 2009 the 44-year-old’s life changed for the better when he hit the jackpot in the form of his now wife Elizabeth.

It took him around a year to pluck up the courage to chat to the 55-year-old but now the pair are celebrating having lost a total of 15 stone between them.

Elizabeth, a personal shopper at Tesco, said: “Gary is the most amazing man I have ever met and he is so romantic. Every month, he sends flowers to my work and whisks me away every Valentine’s Day to celebrate.

“When we first met, Gary weighed almost 20 stone and I weighed 15 stone myself, however since our first date, we have lost 15 stone between us.

“We encourage each other and we really are like two peas in a pod.”

It’s been hard work for the couple who’ve dedicated the past eight years to losing the weight, but the pair are used to taking on challenges having had their two dates at weddings – the couple’s first official date being a family wedding where Gary met all of Elizabeth’s family, and the second date was the wedding of one of Elizabeth’s friends the very next weekend.

Gary, the main stage caller at Mecca Drumchapel, said: “After attending two weddings and meeting all of Elizabeth’s family and friends so early on, I knew that Elizabeth was the one for me.”

And two years later, the travel lovers headed to Egypt where they continued their love for shedding the pounds but took their love for each other to new heights in the shadow of the famous Pyramids with an engagement.

Exactly one year on from the proposal, Gary proposed again, this time at Loch Lomond, with a new ring that Elizabeth had her heart set on.

Elizabeth said: “Being proposed to once was such an amazingly romantic surprise, but the second time was even more unexpected and romantic.”

Gary added: “Elizabeth loved the ring I proposed with, but in my heart of hearts, I knew she wanted a white diamond ring, so I saved up all year and popped the question again.

“Elizabeth didn’t know what had hit her but it was important to me that everything was absolutely perfect.”

Married in June 2014 in sunny Cyprus, the happy couple continue to travel the world, and every year Gary takes his wife away on holiday to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Following romantic trips to the Caribbean, Madeira, Egypt and most recently Cape Verde, Gary and Elizabeth celebrated their love in Turkey this year.