gmb45
21st October, 2009, 07:58 AM
Languishing in a reinforced bed with treats and entertainments close to hand, this is the world's heaviest man at home.
Paul Mason, who weighs 70 stone, is rarely able to leave his bed and so spends much of his life in the room, eating and playing computer games.
The 48-year-old consumes around 20,000 calories a day - more than eight times what the average male is supposed to eat.
He has admitted gorging himself on three family- sized takeaways every day plus snacks as he battles his addiction to food.
Neighbours yesterday described him as friendly and popular but said they often went months without seeing him because he was so often bed-ridden.
Mr Mason was unable even to attend the funeral of his mother, Janet, who died six weeks ago and with whom he had lived.
Enlarge http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/20/article-1221592-06E53FDC000005DC-972_468x336.jpg (http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/20/article-1221592-06E53FDC000005DC-972_468x336_popup.jpg) Comforts: 70 stone man Paul lies in his bed surrounded by everything he needs to get through the day
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/20/article-1221592-06E52D93000005DC-544_468x286.jpg Big load: An Asda grocery van re-stocks food for Paul
Friends said Mr Mason has been warned he could die within months if he does not have urgent surgery, such as having a gastric band fitted.
Sue Horne, 55, said: 'He is a really nice bloke who realises he has got a problem. The last time I saw him was when the weather was warmer.
'His carers used to wheel him out in his huge bed on his driveway.'
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/20/article-1221592-06E2CACF000005DC-266_468x388.jpg Paul (right) is pictured here in 2007, when he weighed 45-stone. He was able to go out on his own in a specially-modified wheelchair, but his weight has since ballooned to an incredible 70 stone
Mr Mason lives with his two cats in a bungalow in Ipswich provided by the Suffolk Heritage Housing Association, which is fitted with specially widened doors.
The total cost of his care, accommodation, benefits, medical equipment and treatment is estimated at more than ?100,000 a year.
The photograph shows Mr Mason reclining on a bed and, dangling to his right, a remote control for adjusting the height and angle.
On the same side is a hospital issue over-bed table, upon which sits a fruit bowl with oranges and bananas, a document holder that appears to contain medical notes, and a tea tray.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/20/article-1221592-06E2C992000005DC-324_468x302.jpg Paul's former house in Ipswich had an extra-wide front door to enable him to get his wheelchair out. In 2002 he was 'rescued' from the property by firefighters
In the background is what seems to be a fridge containing snacks and cold drinks and a tall steel frame, to which a pulley system can be attached to lift him.
A black computer stands near a monitor with an internet camera on top, suggesting he keeps in contact with the outside world via the internet.
There is a selection of computer games and DVDs on the top shelf.
Details of Mr Mason's solitary existence came to light this week as it emerged he needs to be transported 150 miles from his home to Chichester, West Sussex, to receive life-saving weight-loss surgery at a specialist NHS centre.
Doctors were considering an airlift at a cost of ?20,000 and there were reports this could even involve an RAF Chinook.
Paul needs to be transported 152 miles from his home in Ipswich, Suffolk, to hospital in Chichester, West Sussex
But NHS Suffolk is now looking at a land-based transfer using a ?90,000 ambulance strengthened to handle obese patients.
Relatives described how Mr Mason began putting on weight in his late teens when his father Roy, a former military policeman, died.
'Before he lost his father he was in the Salvation Army band and he was quite slim and trim,' said his aunt, Margaret Smy, 71, also from Ipswich.
'But he was very close to his dad and his death hit him hard. Then he had some other problems and everything just snowballed.
'He was also close to his mother so losing her recently must have really knocked him. I am sure he is feeling low because of her death.
'I went to her funeral but he was unable to attend because he was bed-ridden. It was videoed so he could watch it at home.'
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/20/article-1221592-068004390000044D-369_468x325.jpg The last world's fattest man: Manuel Uribe was driven around his hometown in Mexico, his first trip outside for five years, to celebrate losing 400 pounds in 2007
In 1986, at the age of 26, he weighed 25 stone and went to doctors for help. But he was turned down for a stomach-stapling operation and was told to go on a diet.
By 2002, he had reached 56 stone and a 5ft window at his former home had to be removed and a forklift truck brought in to lift him when he needed to go to hospital for a hernia operation.
He subsequently lost ten stone over the next nine months after limiting himself to 2,800 calories per day.
His diets have included one where he was only allowed four pints of milk each day, flavoured with Oxo, plus a few bananas.
Mr Mason went up to 60 stone in 2006 and back to 45 stone the following year before piling on more pounds to reach his current weight of 70 stone, believed to be a current world record.
A friend, who asked not to be named, said: 'Paul just cannot help himself when it comes to food but the doctors have told him that this is his last chance.
'He has been warned that he could die within months unless he does something to reduce his weight.'
In an interview in 2003, Mr Mason said how his weight ballooned as he consumed vast amounts of junk food and snacks.
'It is like alcohol to an alcoholic,' he said. 'I would spend about ?30 a week on chocolate.'
'I would eat takeaways and deliberately save half so that I could eat some when I got up in the middle of the night.'
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/20/article-1221592-06E65086000005DC-767_468x266.jpg
Andrew Hassan, medical director at NHS Suffolk yesterday said he would not comment on individual cases.
But he said St Richard's Hospital in Chichester had a 'responsibility' to provide the best care for all its patients.
Paul Mason, who weighs 70 stone, is rarely able to leave his bed and so spends much of his life in the room, eating and playing computer games.
The 48-year-old consumes around 20,000 calories a day - more than eight times what the average male is supposed to eat.
He has admitted gorging himself on three family- sized takeaways every day plus snacks as he battles his addiction to food.
Neighbours yesterday described him as friendly and popular but said they often went months without seeing him because he was so often bed-ridden.
Mr Mason was unable even to attend the funeral of his mother, Janet, who died six weeks ago and with whom he had lived.
Enlarge http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/20/article-1221592-06E53FDC000005DC-972_468x336.jpg (http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/20/article-1221592-06E53FDC000005DC-972_468x336_popup.jpg) Comforts: 70 stone man Paul lies in his bed surrounded by everything he needs to get through the day
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/20/article-1221592-06E52D93000005DC-544_468x286.jpg Big load: An Asda grocery van re-stocks food for Paul
Friends said Mr Mason has been warned he could die within months if he does not have urgent surgery, such as having a gastric band fitted.
Sue Horne, 55, said: 'He is a really nice bloke who realises he has got a problem. The last time I saw him was when the weather was warmer.
'His carers used to wheel him out in his huge bed on his driveway.'
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/20/article-1221592-06E2CACF000005DC-266_468x388.jpg Paul (right) is pictured here in 2007, when he weighed 45-stone. He was able to go out on his own in a specially-modified wheelchair, but his weight has since ballooned to an incredible 70 stone
Mr Mason lives with his two cats in a bungalow in Ipswich provided by the Suffolk Heritage Housing Association, which is fitted with specially widened doors.
The total cost of his care, accommodation, benefits, medical equipment and treatment is estimated at more than ?100,000 a year.
The photograph shows Mr Mason reclining on a bed and, dangling to his right, a remote control for adjusting the height and angle.
On the same side is a hospital issue over-bed table, upon which sits a fruit bowl with oranges and bananas, a document holder that appears to contain medical notes, and a tea tray.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/20/article-1221592-06E2C992000005DC-324_468x302.jpg Paul's former house in Ipswich had an extra-wide front door to enable him to get his wheelchair out. In 2002 he was 'rescued' from the property by firefighters
In the background is what seems to be a fridge containing snacks and cold drinks and a tall steel frame, to which a pulley system can be attached to lift him.
A black computer stands near a monitor with an internet camera on top, suggesting he keeps in contact with the outside world via the internet.
There is a selection of computer games and DVDs on the top shelf.
Details of Mr Mason's solitary existence came to light this week as it emerged he needs to be transported 150 miles from his home to Chichester, West Sussex, to receive life-saving weight-loss surgery at a specialist NHS centre.
Doctors were considering an airlift at a cost of ?20,000 and there were reports this could even involve an RAF Chinook.
Paul needs to be transported 152 miles from his home in Ipswich, Suffolk, to hospital in Chichester, West Sussex
But NHS Suffolk is now looking at a land-based transfer using a ?90,000 ambulance strengthened to handle obese patients.
Relatives described how Mr Mason began putting on weight in his late teens when his father Roy, a former military policeman, died.
'Before he lost his father he was in the Salvation Army band and he was quite slim and trim,' said his aunt, Margaret Smy, 71, also from Ipswich.
'But he was very close to his dad and his death hit him hard. Then he had some other problems and everything just snowballed.
'He was also close to his mother so losing her recently must have really knocked him. I am sure he is feeling low because of her death.
'I went to her funeral but he was unable to attend because he was bed-ridden. It was videoed so he could watch it at home.'
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/20/article-1221592-068004390000044D-369_468x325.jpg The last world's fattest man: Manuel Uribe was driven around his hometown in Mexico, his first trip outside for five years, to celebrate losing 400 pounds in 2007
In 1986, at the age of 26, he weighed 25 stone and went to doctors for help. But he was turned down for a stomach-stapling operation and was told to go on a diet.
By 2002, he had reached 56 stone and a 5ft window at his former home had to be removed and a forklift truck brought in to lift him when he needed to go to hospital for a hernia operation.
He subsequently lost ten stone over the next nine months after limiting himself to 2,800 calories per day.
His diets have included one where he was only allowed four pints of milk each day, flavoured with Oxo, plus a few bananas.
Mr Mason went up to 60 stone in 2006 and back to 45 stone the following year before piling on more pounds to reach his current weight of 70 stone, believed to be a current world record.
A friend, who asked not to be named, said: 'Paul just cannot help himself when it comes to food but the doctors have told him that this is his last chance.
'He has been warned that he could die within months unless he does something to reduce his weight.'
In an interview in 2003, Mr Mason said how his weight ballooned as he consumed vast amounts of junk food and snacks.
'It is like alcohol to an alcoholic,' he said. 'I would spend about ?30 a week on chocolate.'
'I would eat takeaways and deliberately save half so that I could eat some when I got up in the middle of the night.'
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/20/article-1221592-06E65086000005DC-767_468x266.jpg
Andrew Hassan, medical director at NHS Suffolk yesterday said he would not comment on individual cases.
But he said St Richard's Hospital in Chichester had a 'responsibility' to provide the best care for all its patients.