A WOMAN who wanted to be paid nearly £1million in compensation after a fall in Blackburn with Darwen has been labelled "wholly dishonest".

Council bosses were told the 40-year-old, who fractured her left elbow in the tumble, would need ongoing care for the injury, which had allegedly left her unable to perform simple household tasks.

And when past care costs and future anticipated bills were taken into account, her claim amounted to ££990,631.

She was said to have required a cast and then had an operation. later developing a frozen shoulder, requiring more surgery and physiotherapy.

But lawyers from Blackburn-based Forbes Solicitors obtained surveillance footage of the woman, carrying shopping bags in the town centre with both hands and on both shoulders.

This resulted in the county court claim of the woman, who town hall officials are refusing to name, being thrown out by a judge.

Later the judge also awarded the claimant to pay the council's court costs

Speaking after the case Nick Holgate, an associate in their insurance fraud department, said: "We are delighted to have secured a finding of fundamental dishonesty in this matter.

"The extent of the claim for care was both audacious and completely unbelievable for an injury to the non-dominant arm in an otherwise fit and well 40-year-old woman."

He told the Lancashire Telegraph that judges were within their rights, under the 2015 Criminal Justice Act, o challenge "greedy" claimants who exaggerated elements of an otherwise legitimate claim.

Mr Holgate said the judge had described the extent of her claim as a "wild overstatement", with the extent of the care "making no sense whatsoever".

One example given was that it was said to take the woman two-and-a-half hours to prepare meals because she could not chop vegetables and other foodstuffs using her left arm - when she was right-handed. She also claimed to have suffered psychological distress as a result of the fall.

Mr Holgate said the judge had made a remark that he would have excepted a similar schedule of losses if the claimant had been paralysed from the waist down. Her husband, who have evidence on behalf of the claimant, was also criticised for "sticking to a script rather than truthfulness".

A Blackburn with Darwen Council spokesman declined to comment on the case.