A 69-year-old woman who cheated Wyre Forest District Council out of £10,212.52 has been given a 200-hour punishment order.

Irene Wilde, of Tomkinson Drive, Kidderminster, pleaded guilty at the town's magistrates court on Friday to failing to declare a second job. The court heard that Wilde made two false representations to the council.

Prosecuting for the council, Dermot Scully said Wilde had signed a statement and completed a benefit form declaring that she only had one job.

As a result, between April, 2000 and August, 2004 Wilde was overpaid £8,089.93 in housing benefits and £2,122.59 in council tax benefit.

Sentencing Wilde to a 200 hours community order, magistrates told the pensioner it was only her age and circumstances that saved her from being given a jail sentence.

The chair of the magistrates said: "This is a very serious offence committed over a very long period of time whereby you received a substantial amount of money to which you were not entitled.

"Your age and circumstances were the only factors that prevented us from sending you to prison."

As well as paying back the monies falsely claimed, Wilde was also ordered to pay costs of £291.25.

Councillor Stephen Clee, leader of Wyre Forest District Council, said: "We take benefit fraud very seriously."