Lee Jardine first hit the headlines in January after Chad revealed the daily battles the 23-year-old was facing due to an embarrassing condition known as 'moobs'.

Medically the condition is called 'Gynecomastia' and causes men to develop abnormally large breasts — often leaving them depressed and embarrassed to go out in public.

Lee was wearing layers of clothing when he went out to hide his man boobs and could not face taking his two-year-old son swimming in case people stared at him.

Aunt

But after Lee's story hit the national headlines his plight caught the eye of an aunt who he had lost touch with five years earlier.

This week Lee told Chad how an appearance on television led to him getting the operation he had longed for.

"After my story went in the Chad a lot of other people wanted to know about my experience so I did a number of interviews," said Lee.

"An auntie I lost touch with when I was 18 saw my story on the news and decided to get in touch to see how she could help.

"When she found out I could not get the operation done on the NHS she offered to fund half of the operation for me to have them reduced."

Having secured half the money, Lee then set about raising the rest of the cash needed to fund the £1,400 operation.

And six weeks ago Lee had the operation to reduce his man boobs carried out by plastic surgeon Dr Alex Karidis at the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth in London.

Dr Karidis told Chad this week that Lee's operation had gone well and he was making a good recovery.

"Lee had quite a severe case of man boobs but the operation was fairly straight forward," he said.

"During the procedure we only have to make one centimetre cuts and then use liposuction and breast gland removal to reduce the man boobs.

'Progress'

"No stitches are needed and the patient is normally back on their feet within a matter of hours.

"Lee has just had his six-week check up and I am very happy with his progress. There is still a bit of swelling but he is recovering well."

Following the operation, Lee says his quality of life has completely changed and he can now go out in public without worrying about what people might say.

"Since the operation I have been on days out with my family and I am really enjoying life again," said Lee.

"I am really grateful to my auntie and we have stayed in touch since. The operation is all I wanted and now I will be able to do normal things without feeling like I am being stared at – taking my son swimming is top of the list."