Anne Bird, 60, raked in 21,000 by claiming she was entitled to the highest category of benefits after being diagnosed with osteoarthritis

A benefits cheat who claimed she was so frail she needed help getting dressed was caught taking part in fitness classes.

Anne Bird, 60, raked in 21,000 by claiming she was entitled to the highest category of benefits after being diagnosed with osteoarthritis.

She told officials from the Department for Work and Pensions that she struggled to get out of bed and could not dress herself.

But following a tip-off undercover investigators filmed her making regular trips to fitness classes at her local leisure centre.

Former Royal Mail postwoman Bird, from Bloxwich, West Mids, was secretly recorded taking part in pilates, spinning and aerobics classes.

Footage showed her performing dozens of sit-ups while balancing on a fitness ball and also doing repeated arm and leg stretches.

Despite being entitled to some benefits, between October 2008 and August 2012 she was overpaid 21,109 in state hand-outs.

Bird admitted making a false declaration on claim forms to obtain disability allowance when she appeared before magistrates in Walsall on Wednesday.

The court heard Bird was laid off in 2008 due to a degenerative condition - confirmed by a doctor to be osteoarthritis.

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Benefits cheat caught doing spinning and aerobics classes