A Padiham mum of three who claimed more than £40,000 of state handouts she wasn't entitled to was starting a nine-month jail term today.

Anita Kelly, 40, deceived the Department for Work and Pensions for about eight years, getting income support, housing and council tax benefits and not declaring she was living with partner Brian O'Keefe, who worked full time.

Her claim was false from the start, Burnley Crown Court heard.

O'Keefe, 29, who was employed by East Lancashire Coach Builders in Blackburn, also netted £11,000-plus by pretending he was Kelly's landlord and claimed she was his tenant and not his girlfriend.

However, O'Keefe had signed a death in service nomination form at his workplace, nominating Kelly and one of the children receive equal shares from the scheme, the court was told.

Kelly got £40,629 she shouldn't have - but would have received state help through tax credits had she been honest.

The defendants were no longer together.

Kelly, of Hapton Road, Padiham, admitted three counts of false accounting and one of failing to notify a change in circumstances, between August 1996 and December 2004.

Sentencing, Recorder Maurice Greene told the defendant she had stolen from people who worked and paid taxes.

O'Keefe, of Raygill Avenue, Burnley, admitted three allegations of false accounting, between May 2001 and March 2003.

He asked for 10 offences to be considered and was given 240 hours unpaid work.

The defendant was ordered to pay £11,272.50 compensation within 28 days and the court was told O'Keefe had remortgaged his home to raise the money.