MEET the man who has undergone an incredible lockdown transformation.

At the start of the pandemic, Lee Cutler was struggling with depression and his weight had ballooned to over 19 stones.

Now the dad-of-two has lost six-and-half-stones, is competing successfully in British and world bodybuilding championships and has been signed-up by modelling and acting agencies.

The 39-year-old’s life-changing experience is also inspiring others.

“I’m so thankful to feel well in myself – physically and mentally – but the fact it has helped other people too is so rewarding,” said Lee, who lives at Sutton-in-Craven and co-owns a family granite business in Keighley.

“I’ve received so many messages from people to say what I’ve done has given them hope. I go through all the messages and respond to each and every one of them.”

Lee’s mental and physical health began to spiral about two years ago when he lost his best friend.

“I started to comfort eat and I just ate and ate,” he said.

“That was my way of dealing with things.

“I piled on the weight.

“It was when we went into lockdown that I thought right, now’s the time to do something about it.”

Lee had done bodybuilding in the past, but his last show was in 2011 and a return to competing wasn’t on his mind when be began his fight back to health.

“I started with some minor diet changes and trained with a bench and some dumbbells at home,” he said.

“I began to lose weight straightaway – and just carried on!

“When I saw an advert for a show I thought ‘why not?’ and entered it.

“That first competition back was the British bodybuilding finals – and I won.

“And then three weeks later it was the world championships in London and I finished second in both the classes I entered.

“Now I’ve been invited to do a competition in LA next year. I would like the world title!”

Lee’s path into potential modelling and acting roles opened-up purely by chance.

“My photos on social media were spotted and a company contacted me about modelling,” he said.

“I was quite shocked to say the least!

“I’m now signed-up to a modelling agency and an acting agency.

“Nothing like this had ever occurred to me. It wasn’t something I would ever have imagined myself doing for one minute.

“I now feel so much better physically and mentally than I did a few months ago and my experience has opened-up so many doors for me. I feel incredibly grateful and fortunate.”