JAM fanatic Steve Hemmins from Swindon puts his towering stature down to his special diet.

The 19 year-old tyre fitter has grown to a huge 6ft 7ins tall by munching his way through a stack of jam sandwiches.

His penchant for the sweet preserve started at an early age and he has been hooked ever since.

Steve, of Park South, gets through seven sliced white loaves of bread and three 1lb jars of jam each week, all washed down with around 40 pints of milk.

A former pupil of Lawn Infants and Juniors and later Churchfields school, he began enjoying the delights of jam when he was five years old.

Steve, who has worked at Autospeed Tyres in Shrivenham Road since leaving school, admits that he has a sweet tooth and enjoys other sugary goodies including chocolate, but says jam is his first love.

"I don't know why but I have always liked the mixed fruit jam from Tescos.

"I end up taking quite a full lunch box to work.

"Some of the guys find it quite funny but it's never been a problem."

In spite of his unusual diet, Steve still manages to stay trim and fit, being a member of Swindon Amateur Swimming Club where he has won a number of races and medals

He also plays football, enjoys driving and spending time with his girlfriend.

"I took my new girlfriend to a restaurant to impress her and bottled out of asking for jam.

"I just ordered pints of milk, but she seems okay about it."

He recommends the jam-only diet, but said: "Jam is great, but don't let yourself get addicted to it."

He has been working for the tyre-fitting firm for three years since he left school.

Earlier this week, 15-year-old Craig Flatman from Suffolk was the subject of a media frenzy after he came forward. He has grown to 6ft 1in tall on a jam-only diet and is still growing.

Jammy facts...

Jelly, jam and preserves are all made from fruit mixed with sugar and pectin.

The difference between them comes in the form that the fruit takes.

In jelly, the fruit comes in the form of fruit juice, while in jam, the fruit comes in the form of fruit pulp or crushed fruit. It is less stiff than jelly as a result.

In preserves, the fruit comes in the form of chunks in syrup or a jam.

They can be made from single fruits or a combination of fruits.

The fruit content should be at least 40 per cent.

In mixed fruit jams the first-named fruit should be at least 50 per cent of the total fruit added.

Anthony Osborne