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| Obese family in harsh spotlight | Obese family in harsh spotlight |
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| By Rowan Bridge BBC Radio Five Live The family have called the police over the abuse | By Rowan Bridge BBC Radio Five Live The family have called the police over the abuse |
| They have been lambasted in the press and laughed at by neighbours. Here, the Chawner family, with a combined weight of 83 stones, describe their distress at unwanted attention and abuse. | They have been lambasted in the press and laughed at by neighbours. Here, the Chawner family, with a combined weight of 83 stones, describe their distress at unwanted attention and abuse. |
| Emma Chawner is responsible for one of the most famous (or infamous) renditions of Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On. | Emma Chawner is responsible for one of the most famous (or infamous) renditions of Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On. |
| The 19-year-old from Blackburn first came to the nation's attention two years ago when she first applied for The X Factor. | The 19-year-old from Blackburn first came to the nation's attention two years ago when she first applied for The X Factor. |
| In a memorable audition, she was roundly condemned for both her dress sense and singing abilities by Simon Cowell. | In a memorable audition, she was roundly condemned for both her dress sense and singing abilities by Simon Cowell. |
| He described the dress she was wearing as "like a wedding dress, and then you sang the song out of tune and a bit like a baby". | He described the dress she was wearing as "like a wedding dress, and then you sang the song out of tune and a bit like a baby". |
| But Emma and her family say the criticism dished out by the judges is nothing compared to the abuse they have suffered since. | But Emma and her family say the criticism dished out by the judges is nothing compared to the abuse they have suffered since. |
| Abuse | Abuse |
| Sitting at her laptop, Emma shows me a Facebook group set up about the family. | Sitting at her laptop, Emma shows me a Facebook group set up about the family. |
| The tone of the group - which has since been removed - is set by the title: "Get off your fat ass, Emma Chawner and your fat family, and get a job." | The tone of the group - which has since been removed - is set by the title: "Get off your fat ass, Emma Chawner and your fat family, and get a job." |
| It had more than 3,500 members, and contained a string of comments describing the family as fat, lazy and sponging off the state. | It had more than 3,500 members, and contained a string of comments describing the family as fat, lazy and sponging off the state. |
| "It's disgusting, they need to get a life," Emma said. | "It's disgusting, they need to get a life," Emma said. |
| "They just hate me because I was on The X Factor. They believe the papers which isn't true. | "They just hate me because I was on The X Factor. They believe the papers which isn't true. |
| The Chawners have been accused of being too fat to work and too busy watching TV to diet | The Chawners have been accused of being too fat to work and too busy watching TV to diet |
| "There was a comment on there which said, 'If I see Emma Chawner, I'll kill her,' and that upset me and I ran upstairs crying." | "There was a comment on there which said, 'If I see Emma Chawner, I'll kill her,' and that upset me and I ran upstairs crying." |
| The Chawner family say they have become so concerned about the abuse that they have contacted the police. | The Chawner family say they have become so concerned about the abuse that they have contacted the police. |
| Emma's father Phillip pulls out a stack of newspapers to show me what has been written about them. | Emma's father Phillip pulls out a stack of newspapers to show me what has been written about them. |
| Flicking through the pages, the headlines all talk about their size and the fact that they are on benefits: Introducing the lardbuckets; All that is wrong with Britain; 83-stone family's too fat to work and too busy watching TV to diet; The real Tellytubbies. | Flicking through the pages, the headlines all talk about their size and the fact that they are on benefits: Introducing the lardbuckets; All that is wrong with Britain; 83-stone family's too fat to work and too busy watching TV to diet; The real Tellytubbies. |
| But Mr Chawner insists that what has been in the papers is inaccurate. He says they have never asked for more money, with the four of them getting between £10,000 and £12,000 a year in benefits, not the £22,000 quoted in the press. | But Mr Chawner insists that what has been in the papers is inaccurate. He says they have never asked for more money, with the four of them getting between £10,000 and £12,000 a year in benefits, not the £22,000 quoted in the press. |
| 'Medical problems' | 'Medical problems' |
| When we were at their house filming, they did not want to pour milk on a bowl of cereal for the cameras. | When we were at their house filming, they did not want to pour milk on a bowl of cereal for the cameras. |
| They were trying to make the packet last a bit longer and didn't want to throw any away. | They were trying to make the packet last a bit longer and didn't want to throw any away. |
| What is beyond doubt is that the four members of the family are morbidly obese, with a combined weight of more than 80 stones. | What is beyond doubt is that the four members of the family are morbidly obese, with a combined weight of more than 80 stones. |
| But Mr Chawner insists that is down to medical problems, and not their diet. | But Mr Chawner insists that is down to medical problems, and not their diet. |
| "It's not what I have been eating. I was 27 stone and I am down to 22. I have actually lost weight. They [the family] don't eat a rubbish diet. | "It's not what I have been eating. I was 27 stone and I am down to 22. I have actually lost weight. They [the family] don't eat a rubbish diet. |
| "Emma doesn't eat in the morning, she doesn't eat nothing. We just eat healthy foods, salads, and that's it really. I don't eat that much at all." | "Emma doesn't eat in the morning, she doesn't eat nothing. We just eat healthy foods, salads, and that's it really. I don't eat that much at all." |
| Sometimes I sit there feeling quite hurt that they can't leave my daughters or any of my family alone Audrey Chawner | Sometimes I sit there feeling quite hurt that they can't leave my daughters or any of my family alone Audrey Chawner |
| Emma's mum Audrey opens her kitchen cupboards. There are packets of crisps and biscuits, alongside packets of soup, tins of steak and kidney pie, ketchup and crispbreads. | Emma's mum Audrey opens her kitchen cupboards. There are packets of crisps and biscuits, alongside packets of soup, tins of steak and kidney pie, ketchup and crispbreads. |
| The fridge has a whole chicken, carrots, lettuce and semi-skimmed milk in it. | The fridge has a whole chicken, carrots, lettuce and semi-skimmed milk in it. |
| "We have all tried dieting, even the girls. They don't gorge themselves on bars of chocolate. | "We have all tried dieting, even the girls. They don't gorge themselves on bars of chocolate. |
| "People look at me, they stare at you. It does still hurt deep down inside and, I am sorry, it is just making me feel really hurt and upset. | "People look at me, they stare at you. It does still hurt deep down inside and, I am sorry, it is just making me feel really hurt and upset. |
| "Sometimes I sit there feeling quite hurt that they can't leave my daughters or any of my family alone. | "Sometimes I sit there feeling quite hurt that they can't leave my daughters or any of my family alone. |
| "I hope people are going to listen to this. As I say, we do not scoff ourselves with chocolate or any fattening foods, we just eat what we enjoy and we only have one big meal a day." | "I hope people are going to listen to this. As I say, we do not scoff ourselves with chocolate or any fattening foods, we just eat what we enjoy and we only have one big meal a day." |
| The family say they are still pleased with their appearance on The X Factor and felt proud when Emma was invited back for the finale of the fourth season. | The family say they are still pleased with their appearance on The X Factor and felt proud when Emma was invited back for the finale of the fourth season. |
| But while they may have enjoyed the fleeting fame of the show, the fallout from the publicity they have had since is proving much harder to handle. | But while they may have enjoyed the fleeting fame of the show, the fallout from the publicity they have had since is proving much harder to handle. |
| Lancashire Police confirmed that they had received a complaint from the Chawner family about abuse directed at them on the Facebook site. | |
| A spokeswoman said: "We investigated the allegation, but concluded that no offence has been committed. The matter is now closed." | |
| Sue Steel, national manager of the Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA), described the online abuse of the Chawners as "unacceptable". | |
| She said: "Bullying in any form is wrong and as a society we need to send out the message that it will not be tolerated. | She said: "Bullying in any form is wrong and as a society we need to send out the message that it will not be tolerated. |
| "People may think cyber-bullying is funny but it can actually be very hurtful." | "People may think cyber-bullying is funny but it can actually be very hurtful." |