Ananova:

A County Durham man has managed to follow a successful career as a chef despite surviving on a diet of biscuits.

Andrew Forster, 27, from Consett, has lived on digestives, caramel wafers and Blue Riband biscuits since he was a toddler.

Despite his eating problems, he leads a busy kitchen at the Italian restaurant Sale Pepe in Shotley Bridge, reports the BBC.

Mr Forster said: "I was 18 months old when it started to happen. I wouldn't eat for days. My mother was distraught but the doctors said it was just a phase.

"I ate biscuits morning, noon and night. It affected everything - my social life, concentration, skin tone, teeth."

Mr Forster's daily food intake would often include up to two packets of biscuits, plus the occasional piece of toast, a bowl of cereal or a packet of crisps.

He features in BBC3's Freaky Eaters on 19 March. Experts used shock tactics and distraction techniques to try and cure his addiction.

He said: "I could taste things on the spoon but it was the swallowing action I had trouble with - but now I don't have half as many biscuits."

Mr Forster's much improved diet now consists of smoothies, fruit, fish, meat and chicken - with the occasional biscuit.