11:41am UK, Sunday April 14, 2002

Everyone likes a big night out, but in California they're taking it literally.

In a country with a serious obesity problem, a nightclub called Curves has opened and caters only for the larger lady.

sl fat club.jpg

Fat Club

And it's helping take the shame out of being larger than the average clubber.

'Shake your booty'

"Nobody's judging you. You can come and relax and blend into the crowd. Everyone is more than willing to let you get on the dance floor and shake your booty," said club regular, Rebecca Derrick.

Only oversize women - and men who like them that way - are allowed in.

Club owner Shadoe Gray said: "It's more about self esteem. You can come here and feel positive about yourself and you can take that anywhere you want, into your job, other night clubs, you can take it into your life."

It's the first club in the US which caters specifically for oversize women, at the exclusion of their smaller sisters.