A BENEFITS cheat claimed she struggled to walk or hold a glass was secretly filmed pulling pints in Cradley Heath and Dudley pubs, a court heard.

Elaine Gordon pocketed nearly £26,000 in disability benefits after telling the authorities it took her around 10 minutes to walk four yards and that she needed help getting in and out of a chair.

She also claimed she needed help in dressing and found it difficult to prepare meals.

But all the time Gordon was working hard serving customers in the Boat Inn, Cradley Heath, the Prince of Wales, Dudley and the nearby Riddings Tavern.

It was in the Tavern she was secretly filmed by investigators from the Department of Work and Pensions who also caught her on camera loading boxes into her car at the Makro store in Halesowen.

Gordon, now living in Midhurst Road, Birmingham, admitted at Wolverhampton Crown Court failing to notify the department of a change in her circumstances and was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for two years and placed on supervision for a year.

Recorder Ciaran Rankin told the 59-year-old she had acted out of "pure greed" to top up her income with state benefits.

He said Gordon had claimed she had severe mobility problems and had to rely heavily on help from others but for nearly six years had worked as a landlady and people said they were unaware she had any physical problems.

John Evans, for Gordon, who walked into court with the aid of a stick, said she had now been reassessed by the department and was once again claiming disability allowance.

He added she was of previous good character and was re-paying the money she had falsely claimed by a few pounds a week, which was being deducted from her benefits.