Cheats swindled almost £300,000 from taxpayers in west Oxfordshire in the past year.

West Oxfordshire District Council's fraud team dealt with 66 fraudsters who, between them, falsely claimed £285,156 a 50 per cent increase on the previous year.

Forty-one people have been either ordered to pay the money back plus 30 per cent of what they took given a formal caution or been put before the courts.

There are 15 more cases currently pending.

Another 10 cases were deemed "not in the public interest" to prosecute but those involved are paying back falsely claimed benefits.

The council has clawed back £64,955 so far, as those caught pay the cash back gradually.

District council fraud investigation manager Mandy Fathers said: "Benefit fraud is a crime it is theft from the taxpayer.

"Because benefit fraudsters are exploiting the system for their own greed and gain they are restricting the resources available for those in genuine need."

The investigation team, based at the council's Elmfield offices, in Witney, was ranked ninth most effective in the country last year.

The amount of fraudulently claimed benefits in west Oxfordshire has risen by £100,000 on the year before.

In February, Hazel Paris, 50, of Blakes Avenue, Witney, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court for dishonestly claiming £4,000 worth of housing benefit and council tax.

She had initially denied the claims with her partner James Saunders, who was declared unfit to stand trial.

The jury heard that Paris and Saunders bought 31 cars from West Oxfordshire Motor Auctions in Witney, making up to £10,000 from selling them on and hid the cash from inspectors while claiming benefits.

When questioned by police, she refused to comment on adverts which the couple placed, the jury heard. One witness said he bought a car from the pair, only to find the mileage had been 'clocked'.

Mrs Fathers said she believed the 50 per cent increase in the amount of fraudulent claims was not necessarily down to people committing more fraud but the team having more success in detecting them.

She said: "We have uncovered bigger frauds that have been going on for longer. We have more means of detecting fraud and a lot more resources. Now we are working with Job Centre Plus we are able to be more proactive in tracing fraudsters.

"People think they are fiddling the taxman instead of the individual taxpayer. They don't see it as a crime.

"We are trying to change that and show people it will not be tolerated.