Birmingham's fattest man Barry Austin proposes to his girlfriend

Feb 12 2012 by Adam Aspinall, Sunday Mercury

BIRMINGHAM’S fattest man has popped the question to his long-term partner and is nervously awaiting her reply in the run up to Valentine’s Day.

Barry Austin has revealed that he proposed to Debbie Kirby, his girlfriend of 13 years, last week.

The romantic 43-year-old, known as ‘Fat Baz’, told how Debbie was his ‘angel’ and promised he would lose weight in time for a wedding.

He said: “Debbie has been an angel to me for years, I love her to pieces so this was not a hard one to think about.

“I just thought it was now or never so popped the question, and she has said she needs a few days to think about it all. I know it is a lot for her to take in.

“I am just waiting nervously now to see what she will say, but whatever she says will be fine by me because I love her so much.”

The former taxi driver, who lives in a council house in Smiths Wood, Solihull, is currently unemployed.

But whereas the man mountain once he tipped the scales at 65 stone and was crowned Britain’s fattest man Barry is currently down to 40 stone and is hoping to lose even more weight in the future.

He has struggled with his weight since he was a young child.