Simply Health has extended its Weight Watchers programme from six to 12 weeks after splitting the cost of sessions with employees.

The company first introduced an employer-funded six Weight Watcher's programmes in April but now has more than 30 employees taking part in a 12-week dietary advice programme after they agreed to pay half of the cost.

Employees at Simply Health attend the classes and take part in the infamous weigh-ins once a week during their lunch break. Classes are held at the head offices of its HSA subsidiary in Andover and members of the club are currently working towards a collective Christmas target of a loss of 30 stone. A bauble will lit up on the office Christmas tree for every pound of weight lost.

Chrissy Phillips, operations manager, at HSA said: "Employees [said they] felt more committed if they paid more into it and they were more likely to come [to the offices] if they had paid more money into it."