A British man who used to describe himself as the 'world's fattest' has revealed he is moving back to the UK from the US so he can claim benefits again.
Paul Mason, 59, who was from Ipswich, Suffolk, was 70 stone (980lb, 445kg) at his heaviest and once branded himself the heaviest person on the planet.
He moved to Massachusetts in the US in 2014, where he ballooned in size from 19 stone (121kg) to 35 stone (222kg) despite having gastric band surgery.
Pictured: Former world's fattest man Paul Mason is pictured on This Morning in 2013
Mr Mason (pictured as part of a documentary called Worlds Fattest Man, moved to Massachusetts, USA, in 2014, where he ballooned in size from 19 stone (275lb) to 35 stone (500lb) despite having gastric band surgery
After being charged with stealing from supermarket Walmart and splitting from his fiancee, Mr Mason said he plans to return to Britain with his US visa about to expire.
He wrote on his Facebook page last night: 'I need to return to the UK where I will be eligible for the assistance I need to get my life back on track.'
In recent months Mr Mason has piled the weight back on, gorging on pizza and crisps all night following the split from fiancée Rebecca Mountain last year.
He now gets around on sticks and is desperate for a double knee replacement and an op to fix a herniated stomach staple which he damaged by over-eating.
He posted online today: 'After nearly five years living in the US, the time has come for me to soon return to the UK.
'I will go into more detail in the coming weeks and months, but what I can say now is that over the years living in the US I made some wrong decisions which has led to some bad consequences.'
Mr Mason, who used to be a postal worker, added: 'Some of those being letting my visa expire, moving in with someone who was a bad influence and because of these and other choices I made, I've put on weight.
'I'm now around 500 pounds, up from my lowest weight of 275. 'Looking forward, I need to return to the UK where I will be
