A BENEFITS cheat has been jailed after pretending he needed to use a wheelchair in a scene straight out of TV comedy Little Britain.

Publican Peter Dixon was secretly filmed by investigators holding his left arm in a limp fashion while a helper pushed him in a chair, similar to the sketches acted out by David Walliams and Matt Lucas.

He then gingerly moved himself into a car from the wheelchair but, on arriving at his destination minutes later, stepped out of the car and briskly walked up a driveway.

He was also running the Feilden Arms at Mellor Brook, where he had no difficulties pulling pints, cooking in the kitchen and walking around.

Dixon was yesterday jailed for four weeks for dishonestly claiming just over £7,600 in disability living allowance (DLA).

The 49-year-old, of Dixon of Queens Road, Blackburn pleaded guilty to one offence of failing to nofity a change in his circumstances.

Rachael Langlands, who received nearly £2,000 on the basis that she had been caring for him, was given a suspended prison term, with a curfew for failing to declare a change in circumstances.

This related to a time when she was no longer caring for Dixon.

It was accepted by the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) at Preston Crown Court that his initial claim in June 2005 had been legitimate, following a stroke.

But he later failed to tell the authorities of an improvement in his condition.

Kevin Slack, prosecuting on behalf of the DWP, said the fraud covered an 18 month period from January 2008 through to July 2009.

The court heard that Dixon was awarded the mobility component of DLA at the highest rate.

In June 2006, he described having lost the use of the left side of his body, as a result of the stroke.

He said he was a wheelchair user, who also would use a trolley and leg splint.

The defendant had also stated he was unable to push his wheelchair, needed someone with him outdoors and needed help to dress, wash, use the toilet, go to bed and even to cook a meal.

By the start of 2008 Dixon and Langlands started work at the Feilden Arms where he planted window boxes and took down curtains for cleaning.

They took over the running of the pub by the end of that year.

At no stage was he noted to be disabled.

DWP carried out covert surveillance, watching him leave his then address in Dorman Road, Preston, and travel to the pub.

Mr Slack said "Once there, he was seen pulling pints with his left hand which he had said he no longer had the use of.

"He was also seen walking around the pub and cooking in the kitchen.

"At no stage was he observed to have any apparent difficulties with walking and nor was he seen to require the use of a wheelchair or walking stick while at the pub."

He also went on to be seen driving to the pub and getting out unaided.

On that same day in January 2009, he went to Lancaster, before going back to his then home in Preston.

But just half an hour later he went to Ribbleton Medical Centre in Preston, Langlands having placed the wheelchair in the back of the car.

Mr Slack told the court: "In a scene from the comedy series Little Britain, the defendant was seen in the wheelchair, pushed by Miss Langlands as they left the medical centre.

"He could be seen holding his left arm in a limp manner.

"They went to the car where he gingerly moved himself into the vehicle, holding his left arm and lifting his leg with his right arm, into the vehicle.

"She forgot to apply the brake and the video shows the wheelchair moving down the slope while he was lifting his legs into the car.”

The pair drove off and Dixon went on to be seen to freely get out of the car and walk briskly up the drive to her parents home.

Later he was seen carrying a tray of flowers from the car.

The court heard Dixon had no previous convictions.

His barrister Tim Ashmole said: "The thought of a custodial sentence at the age of 49 and being a man of good character terrifies him.

"He isn't a man who is au fait with the criminal justice system.

"These matters have had a very stressful effect on him.

"He has been remorseful and also very upset. The proceedings have had a very salutory effect".

Dixon was described as having more recently worked as a delivery driver, earning £166 a week after tax.

He was assessed by the probation service as a low risk of re-offending.

Judge Jonathan Gibson told him that an immediate sentence was the only way to properly punish him.

He said "What you did was a calculated benefits fraud.

"While it wasn't fraudulent from the outset, once it became fraudulent, it was conducted with cynical disregard to the public who financed your dishonest claim.”