A woman claimed benefits of almost £70,000 she was not entitled to over a period of almost nine years.

Bolton Crown Court heard Deborah Adamson claimed housing benefit, employment support allowance, the child tax benefit and child tax credits.

She is now repaying two of these at a rate of £100 a month, despite only taking home £325 from her job as a cleaner.

The claims began in 2008, but from 2010 her partner moved into her home and she failed to declare this.

Roger Brown, prosecuting, said: "The total amount of benefits that have been overclaimed was esmployment support allowance, £47,90.90, housing benefit £11,807.90, council tax benefit, £1,641.74 and child tax credit £8,566.20.

"The total was £69,319.03."

The court heard her partner was in work during this period.

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh, asked what his salary was and whether it was possible to determine if Adamson was entitled to any of the benefits were claimed.

However Mr Brown said the Department of Work and Pensions said all sums were to be viewed as fradulently obtained in these circumstances.

Adamson, from Montreal Street, Leigh, apppeared in court to be sentenced after admitting for counts of fraud relating to each benefit.

The court heard the 53-year-old had never been in trouble before.

Gerald Baxter, defending, said: "This lady is never going to be in trouble again.

"She is in poor health."

Judge Martin Walsh, said: "The content of the pre-sentence report says there is no sense of money being spent on luxury items or a frivolous lifestyle, the author paints the picture of a woman living in frugal circumstances.

"I accept the remose of your guilty plea, I accept it is unlikely you will ever be before the court again."

He suspended a sentence of a 12 months for two years and ordered her to atttend at 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days.