When Coronation Street star Kate Ford gained more than 4st while pregnant, she expected the weight to drop off over time.

But a year after the birth of her son Otis – now 22 months – the actress was still nearly 2st heavier than before her pregnancy and realised she’d have to take drastic action.

Speaking to this week’s Closer magazine, she said: 'I used to lose weight really easily, but it just didn’t happen, so for the first time in my life I went on a diet.'

Corrie star Kate Ford, who will return to our screens as Tracy Barlow this month, has lost four stone since giving birth, seen, right, pregnant in May 2008

Kate certainly doesn’t do things by halves – after embarking on her first-ever diet, she lost over a stone in a month.

Closer magazine is out now

Although a weight loss of 2lbs a week is more usual while dieting (and recommended by doctors for long-term weight loss), Kate was delighted to get down to a trim 9st so quickly.

The Salford-born star says: 'I don’t think about my body in terms of thinness – I’m happy when I feel healthy – but there was a point where I realised I wanted to look how I used to and get into my old clothes.'

While pregnant, 5ft 6in Kate says she went from just over 9st to 13st. And although Otis weighed nearly 10lb and she was carrying a lot of water, she admits with a laugh that she 'ate a lot of cake' while pregnant.

'I was really sensible for the first six months, but then I developed anaemia and started craving sweet things, such as cakes and biscuits,' says the actress, who’s back on our TV screens as Corrie’s bad girl Tracy Barlow this month.

• The full interview appears in this week's Closer
  

Back on set: Kate films scenes as Tracy back in March with mother Deirdre (Anne Kirkbride) for the funeral of Blanche Hunt (played by the late Maggie Jones)

Doting mother: Kate takes a walk with baby Otis, now aged 22 months, seen here in September 2008