A FAT-FIGHTING football league for men is heading to South Somerset in a bid to get the district’s men fighting fit.

Called Man v Fat, the league will be launched in Yeovil at the end of March and is now recruiting men from South Somerset to take part.

The league, has been endorsed by the English Football Association and the weight loss group rewards men for losing weight off the pitch, awarding them a goal which is then added on to the team’s on-the-pitch result, meaning it is crucial to shed the pounds.

The scheme, which has been rolled out across the United Kingdom, has seen 95 per cent of men who take part lose weight.

In Somerset, the Man v Fat league is already a success in Bridgwater, and is now hoping to continue the success in Yeovil.

Man v Fat is the brainchild of its founder Andrew Shanahan, who was fed up with the lack of not being able to lose weight and there not being enough support for men who wanted to fight the flab.

The league is open to men of all ages and runs over 14 weeks, and combining football with an easy-to-follow diet and lifestyle advice as well as 24/7 online and offline support.

There’s a weigh-in before each match, but this is thenfollowed-up by a 30 minute game of six-a-side football.

Mr Shanahan said: “We’re thrilled to offer this to men across the UK.

“We’ve seen that Man v Fat Football can have an incredible impact on the health of our players with 95 per cent losing weight and 93 per cent reporting health improvements from curing sleep apnoea to huge improvements in blood pressure and joint pain.

“Across 2016 our players lost more than seven tonnes in weight and we know that we’re going to smash that in 2017 with leagues like the one in Yeovil.”

Andy Dyke, national participation manager of recreational football at the FA, said: “Football doesn’t begin and end with the professional game, there are different levels and styles of football played throughout the UK. MAN v FAT Football is a brilliant initiative for anyone who wants to address their weight and start working their way back into playing football.”

Man v Fat Football launches at Buckler’s Mead Academy in Yeovil on March 24, and runs every Friday from 7pm until 9pm for the following 14 weeks. The first league is being funded by Somerset County Council and players will pay a registration fee of £20, which is refundable after 10 weeks.

For more information, visit manvfat.com