A WOMAN who told officials she could barely walk and needed help with everyday tasks was caught helping out on the family farm and lifting heavy equipment.

Benefits cheat Carmel Smith claimed she was unable to move unaided, required assistance with her personal care and could not use her right hand or arm.

The 45-year-old picked up thousands of pounds in Disability Living Allowance by insisting she relied on her mother to eat and drink and get dressed.

A court heard that suspicious benefits bosses mounted a surveillance operation last year after suspicions were raised about Smith's claim.

She was filmed "on multiple occasions" bending, lifting, carrying bags, sorting horse feed and stamping on divots on the moor-top farm near Saltburn, east Cleveland.

Prosecutor Jonathan Walker told Teesside Crown Court Smith was recorded while out in heavy snow, frost, ice and freezing temperatures.

When she was interviewed by fraud-busters, she said she had been on Incapacity Benefit, Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance.

She knew she would have to report any change in her condition, but told officials that she did not believe it had improved enough, the court heard.

Smith said she had been put on an exercise regime by her doctor, which included going on a treadmill and working on a number of different exercise machines.

Peter Sabiston, mitigating, said: "The improvement was somewhat transitory, helped by drugs. It was gradual and was assisted by medication.

"When she was confronted with the CCTV evidence, she realised, on reflection, she should have reported it. The greatest loss is her good character."

Judge Peter Bowers imposed a supervision order after hearing how Smith's mother - who had also been charged originally - has been diagnosed with cancer.

Smith, of Freeborough Road, Moorsholm, admitted a charge of failing to notify the authorities of a change in her circumstances at an earlier court appearance.

Judge Bowers told her: "I accept that the claim started off completely genuinely, but you continued to claim when, over time, with treatment, your health did improve."

Mr Walker said the overpayment of benefit between September 2012 and July 2013 had been £3,227.