POLICE are to take more time investigating a family of alleged benefit fraudsters who are believed to have netted £200,000.

A 42-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman had been due to answer to police bail yesterday after being arrested by Blackburn police on August 21 in connection with the inquiry.

But the bail date has now been put back to November 6 so that CID officers can carry out further investigations.

The suspected fraud involving a widespread benefits conspiracy was uncovered when police probing a series of shoplifting offences arrested several members of the large family. It was then discovered that the family, from the Bank Top area of Blackburn, had 49 accounts, containing a total of more than £140,000, with 15 different banks and building societies.

Police have been probing a series of alleged frauds dating from the early 1990s and involving Income Support, Family Credit, Blackburn Council and Lancashire Educational Authority as well as the Family Fund, run by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to help disabled children whose families are on benefits.

Officers who searched the family's home discovered £16,000 in cash and £4,500 in gift vouchers and retail credit notes.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.