An obese eight-year-old boy will discover tomorrow whether he will be taken into care because of his size.
Connor McCreaddie weighed 15 stones and 8lbs - four times the weight of a healthy child of his age - before Christmas.
After beginning an intensive exercise regime and swapping the junk food for healthy alternatives, the youngster lost one-and-a-half stones in two months.
His mother Nicola McKeown, 35, sought help from professionals and the family have been getting assistance from health workers and a dietician.
Tomorrow, the family face a child protection conference with North Tyneside Council to discuss Connor's progress in losing weight.
The last resort would be for social workers to place the child in care but his mother is hopeful this will not happen.
Miss McKeown said: "If Connor gets taken into care that is the worst scenario there could be.
"Hopefully, we will be able to come up with a good plan and he might just be put on the at-risk register. That wouldn't be so bad because there would be help at the end of it."
Time for food The schoolboy, from Wallsend, North Tyneside, will feature in today's edition of Tonight with Trevor McDonald exploring childhood obesity.
Film crews from the show followed the youngster's day-to-day life for a month.
Miss McKeown explained that Connor steals and hides food and loves curry, chips and junk food.
She said: "He has double, treble the normal amount, but if I didn't give him enough at teatime then he would just go on at us all night for snacks and stuff."
Connor has difficulty dressing and washing himself, misses school regularly because of poor health and is a target for bullies.
"People pick on us because of my weight. They call us fat. It makes us feel sick of the nutters always shouting at us," he said.
In a statement issued by North Tyneside Council and North Tyneside Primary Care Trust, a spokeswoman said: "We share the concerns over the child's health and well being.
"North Tyneside Council and North Tyneside Primary Care Trust have been working with the family over a prolonged period of time and will continue to do so.
"The child's interests are paramount."
Source: www.skynews.co.uk
Connor McCreaddie weighed 15 stones and 8lbs - four times the weight of a healthy child of his age - before Christmas.
After beginning an intensive exercise regime and swapping the junk food for healthy alternatives, the youngster lost one-and-a-half stones in two months.
His mother Nicola McKeown, 35, sought help from professionals and the family have been getting assistance from health workers and a dietician.
Tomorrow, the family face a child protection conference with North Tyneside Council to discuss Connor's progress in losing weight.
The last resort would be for social workers to place the child in care but his mother is hopeful this will not happen.
Miss McKeown said: "If Connor gets taken into care that is the worst scenario there could be.
"Hopefully, we will be able to come up with a good plan and he might just be put on the at-risk register. That wouldn't be so bad because there would be help at the end of it."
Time for food The schoolboy, from Wallsend, North Tyneside, will feature in today's edition of Tonight with Trevor McDonald exploring childhood obesity.
Film crews from the show followed the youngster's day-to-day life for a month.
Miss McKeown explained that Connor steals and hides food and loves curry, chips and junk food.
She said: "He has double, treble the normal amount, but if I didn't give him enough at teatime then he would just go on at us all night for snacks and stuff."
Connor has difficulty dressing and washing himself, misses school regularly because of poor health and is a target for bullies.
"People pick on us because of my weight. They call us fat. It makes us feel sick of the nutters always shouting at us," he said.
In a statement issued by North Tyneside Council and North Tyneside Primary Care Trust, a spokeswoman said: "We share the concerns over the child's health and well being.
"North Tyneside Council and North Tyneside Primary Care Trust have been working with the family over a prolonged period of time and will continue to do so.
"The child's interests are paramount."
Source: www.skynews.co.uk
