Watch the married couple who claimed £64,000 disability benefits caught running their florist business with ease

Arthur McCarroll claimed that it took him as long as four minutes to walk just three metres, while his wife Susan claimed she needed help getting in and out of chairs and couldn't even cook a meal.

But footage obtained by Department of Work and Pensions investigators shows the pair comfortably carrying hanging baskets filled with soil and flowers and loading heavy boxes into a car. And Susan, 65, was also a regular trader at car boot sales, despite her fraudulent claims.

Prosecutor Maxine McIntosh told Dudley Magistrates Court firstly of Susan's fraud, in which she claimed £35,040 since 2002.

Miss McIntosh said: "She was in receipt of disability living allowance from 1997 on the grounds that she was severely disabled.

"In her self assessment claim form, she stated that she had high mobility restriction and needs. But she failed to declare to the DWP when her need for regular care ceased.

"On the claim form she submitted in 2003, she claimed she was unable to walk. She was awarded the middle amount of funding due to her personal care needs.

"It said she was affected by numerous ailments. She couldn't walk far without discomfort, and had to be with someone when she was outside due to the danger that she may fall.

"She needed help getting out of her chair, getting in and out of bed, attending to her toilet needs.

"It also said she also needed her husbands help to wash, clean and change her regularly, due to her incontinence.

"She was unable to prepare or cook a meal because she couldn't cut or chop vegetables or lift pans, and could only stand for a few minutes at a time. She referred to her husband as being her personal carer."

Miss McIntosh added: "She was involved in the day to day running of the flower business. She regularly attended car boot sales as a trader.

"During surveillance, she was seen to be going about her day to day duties at the flower shop without any problems.

"She was walking from one room to another and regularly walking to a shop a considerable distance away.

"She was also filmed at a car boot sale, and her capabilities and mobility seemed to be much improved compared to her claim."

On Arthur, 58, who claimed £29,203, the prosecutor said: "He was claiming disability living allowance, incapacity benefit and employment support allowance.

"His claim stated that he was severely disabled and he had numerous care needs.

"Dated November 2011, it stated that he couldn't walk and he was awarded the lower rate of benefit.

"It stated that he could only walk for three metres before he found himself in severe discomfort and it took him two to four minutes to do that.

"It said he was in danger of falling on a daily basis. It also said he was a high risk heart patient, and there was always a risk he could have a heart attack.

"Care needs he had included help getting out of a chair.

"During surveillance, he seemed capable of carrying out day to day duties at his shop.

"Two witnesses who were interviewed by investigators said they regularly go into the shop to purchase flowers from him, and they had never seem him need help with carrying out his work."

The pair, from Larch Road, Kingswinford, both pleaded guilty to fraud.

Mr James McGowan, defending Susan McCarroll, said: "She accepts there has been some improvement and she should have declared her change in circumstances.

"She has already lost her reputation and her good name and will not be able to regain that, ever."

Mr Mandeep Gill, defending Mr McCarroll, added: "He has pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and is of previous good character."

Magistrate Jayne Pearson said: "This was a high value fraud that you carried out for your own financial gain.

"Your greed got the better of you and we take a dim view of such behaviour."

Arthur was sentenced to 36 weeks in prison suspended for two years. She was handed a 26-week sentence also suspended for two years. Each were given a six-week curfew from 7pm-7am.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said: "Only a small minority of benefit claimants are dishonest, but cases like this show how we are rooting out the unscrupulous minority who are cheating the system and diverting taxpayers' money from those who really need it.

"We are determined to find those we suspect of abusing the welfare system by following up on tip-offs, undertaking surveillance and working with local councils. Deliberately not informing us of a change in your condition that may affect your claim is a crime."