A COLNE mother fraudulently claimed almost £8,000 in benefits, a court was told.

Preston Crown Court heard that Anna Dyson, 28, failed to notify the Department of Work and Pensions of a change of circumstance.

Caterina Gianota, prosecuting, told the court the total overpayment and theft from the public purse was £7,956 and involved three types of benefit income support, housing benefit and council tax.

Dyson, of Astley Grove, Trawden, admitted two charges of failing to notify a change of circumstance and one of false accounting.

She was given a two-year community rehabilitation order.

Timothy Ashmole, defend-ing, said Dyson had had been dismissed from her job as a result of taking time off work because of a bereavement.

She was looking into a claim of unfair dismissal, he added.

Judge Pamela Badley told Dyson: "You knew that you were not entitled to the money that you claimed. "