Obese man can't work in case he falls and crushes colleagues

A grossly obese father is struggling to make ends meet after being classed as too fat to work by doctors.

Weighing in at a life-threatening 30 stone, Barry Fowers, of Field Avenue, Hatton, suffers from heart problems, diabetes and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) — all related to his huge size. The 51-year-old worked until October last year as an assembler fitter for a Burton-based company.



Mr Fowers said: “Because I was having a lot of time off for medical reasons, I was edged towards voluntary redundancy.” His wife, Shirley said: “One of the main reasons he volunteered to take the pay-off was because he was classed as a potential danger to himself.

“Also, he was a potential risk to his work colleagues in case he fell on them. Some days, his IBS can be so severe he can’t make it upstairs and I have to stand my husband in the shower and wash him down.”