A mother and daughter benefit cheat duo scammed more than £200,000 in one of Watford's biggest frauds.

Tabassum Begum, 41, and Bushra Begum, 70, admitted multiple fraud offences after an investigation led by Watford Borough Council found the pair had wrongfully claimed thousands in council tax benefit, income support, pension credit and housing benefit.

Garry Turner, fraud manager at Watford Borough Council, said the Begums had opened 100 different bank accounts - more than in any case the council has dealt with before.

Tabassum, of Whippendell Road and latterly Chesham Way, had 79 different accounts in a variety of names and had amassed £156,112.15 by May 30, 2011.

She was overpaid £34,537.74 in housing benefit and £10,875.91 in council tax benefit by Watford Borough Council.

Meanwhile, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) overpaid her £80,395.61 in income support.

She claimed these three benefits - gaining a total of £125,809.26 - between July 2003 and July 2012, despite having too much money to be entitled to them.

Bushra, of Rose Gardens, had £62,416.43 in 21 different accounts by February 4, 2013.

Bushra was overpaid £6,602.10 in pension credit from the DWP from January 1, 2007, to February 24, 2013.

She was overpaid £27,568 in housing benefit from January 8, 2007, to March 25, 2013, and £8,496.06 in council tax benefit from January 8, 2007, to April 4, 2013.

In total she claimed £42,666.16 in benefits that she was not entitled to, due to her concealing her true circumstances.

Tabassum pleaded guilty to three counts of theft and one count of fraud at St Albans Crown Court on Monday, April 13.

Bushra pleaded guilty to four charges of dishonest representation for obtaining benefit at St Albans Crown Court on Monday, April 27.

The pair will be sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on Friday, June 26.

Garry Turner said: "They had opened more bank accounts than any fraud case we have ever dealt with before.

"In terms of the financial investigation, it was a lot more time-consuming than most fraud cases we deal with. We had lots of witnesses at the court, coming from all over the country, from all the different banks and organisations where they'd opened accounts.

"Then they both changed their plea to guilty on the day their trials were due to begin."

He added: "These prosecutions show the lengths to which we will go to crack down on people who abuse the system.

"Benefits are there to help the poorest in our society. People who commit benefit fraud are stealing from the taxpayer and we will not tolerate it.

"To confidentially report someone who is committing benefit fraud in Watford, phone 0800 458 9200, email fraud@watford.gov.uk, or visit www.watford.gov.uk."