THE DAILY MAIL:

A detox diet that claims followers can lose a stone in 10 days is sweeping Britain.

Madal Bal Natural Tree Syrup is flying off the shelves of health shops around the country after pop star Beyonce Knowles said she used it to shed the pounds for her latest film.

The syrup, made of sap from maple and palm trees, costs £39.99 per litre.

It is simply mixed with water, lemon juice and cayenne pepper and dieters drink the mixture instead of eating meals at dinner time.

The diet was invented by a Swiss health company in 1985 and is already popular in Europe, but came to Britain just five years ago.

Its sole UK distributer is Pure Natural Products in Lincolnshire. Cuka Clarke, who runs the business with her husband and two sons, told The Evening Standard: "Five years ago we were selling about 500 pots a year, mainly to friends and relatives.

"Now we are selling about 2,000 a month. People recommend it to each other because the results are so amazing."