AN Ipswich man -thought to be the world's heaviest- is today at home recovering after a lifesaving operation.Paul Mason, 48, was taken to a specialist unit for obese patients in St Richard's Hospital, Sussex, last month and after weeks of waiting, finally had the gastric bypass.

IPSWICH: An Ipswich man -thought to be the world's heaviest- is today at home recovering after a lifesaving operation.

Paul Mason, 48, was taken to a specialist unit for obese patients in St Richard's Hospital, Sussex, last month and after weeks of waiting, finally had the gastric bypass.

Following a spell of recovery, the specially designed ambulance for bariatric patients ferried him back through the snow to his home in east Ipswich yesterday afternoon.

The real battle starts now as Mr Mason will have to contend with only eating tiny portions as the size of his stomach has been shrunk considerably following the procedure.

The Evening Star revealed that Mr Mason had to be starved to an appropriate weight before doctors agreed to perform the surgery. Whether he will be able to keep off the weight this time remains to be seen.

A gastric bypass is a surgical procedure to make the stomach smaller and the digestive system shorter.

Although a fairly common procedure, doctors were wary beforehand of the risks involved, given the strain his heart would be put under following the general anaesthetic.

The operation was carried out by one of the leading gastric surgeons, Shaw Somers, who has been nicknamed the “fat doctor” because of the thousands of gastric bypasses and gastric band operations he has performed.

This will be featured on a Channel 4 documentary about his life and his bid to shed the pounds.

Mr Mason's case has prompted outrage among the Star's readers after it was revealed that he has received around �1million in state-funded care.

Do you know someone who has suffered similar problems with weight? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk