ISLANDERS can watch the obesity battle being fought a little closer to home tonight as a world record-holding Guernsey family star in their own television documentary about stomach stapling.

Nine members of the Thorne family have had the operation in an absolute last bid to lose weight, and to date they have shed an incredible 100 stone between them.

But while the operation is accessible to our Channel Island neighbours, it is not freely available in Jersey and patients who have tried and failed with all conventional methods of weight loss have to go to the UK for treatment.

Dr Michael Van Den Bossche is one of few people in the world who is able to perform the delicate keyhole surgery.

He is based in Guernsey but is allowed to perform only on Guernsey residents, so Jersey patients must go to Southampton for both consultation and the operation.

Gastric bypass ‘A gastric bypass operation involves specialised keyhole surgery that only few people can perform,’ said Dr Van Den Bossche.

‘There are a lot of people in the UK who are trying to do this kind of thing, but I would think it is not readily available in Jersey because it is very expensive.

The most important thing about this operation is that the follow-up with the patients is well organised, in order to make the procedure as safe as possible.’