A mother-of-eight has been found guilty of fraudulently receiving more than £350,000 in benefits and tax credits by claiming some of her children had disabilities and conditions.

Amanda Webber, who lives in Sussex, was responsible for one of the biggest single benefit fraud overpayments ever recorded.

The 43-year-old fooled authorities by making claims on the basis that five of her eight children suffered various disabilities and conditions which affected their care and mobility needs, a five-week trial at Brighton Crown Court heard.

Prosecutors said that despite the reputed health problems they suffered, the children led active lives, taking part in PE classes and other activities, including music, drama and dance without signs of difficulties - and some auditioned for ITV's Britain's Got Talent.

Some also attended fee-paying schools and performed in professional productions on television and on stage, including in Les Miserables, The Wizard of Oz and Billy Elliot, jurors heard.

Prosecutor Andrew Evans said during the trial that the acting, dancing and singing required for the roles were inconsistent with the care and mobility described in claims for disability living allowance (DLA).

Webber received an overpayment of benefits to which she was not entitled of around £353,000 over an eight-year period from 2002, and at the time of her arrest lived in a seven-bedroom property.

The false payments related to DLA, carer's allowance, tax credits and housing and council tax benefit.

Webber denied 24 counts including fraud, obtaining a money transfer by deception and obtaining property by deception, but was today convicted on all but one count - making a false representation.

Remanding Webber into custody until sentencing tomorrow morning, the judge said she would face a "substantial custodial sentence" as he described her as a "very dishonest woman".

Webber shook her head in the dock as the jury foreman returned overwhelmingly guilty verdicts after the jury had deliberated for just over two days.

The judge told her: "You have been convicted by the unaminous verdicts of the jury on clear evidence of serious offences of dishonesty involving deceiving the public purse and the taxpayer of around £350,000 over a period of some 10 years."

He added: "You have been very dishonest for a long period of time. You are a highly intelligent woman.

"You must have realised how dishonest you were being and the time has come to face up to the consequences to your actions, those actions impacting on your wholly innocent children."

On claim forms, Webber said some of her children suffered problems with their speech and language, physical disabilities, mental health problems, severe learning disabilities and behavioural problems.

Among the handicaps, phobias and intolerances Webber claimed the children suffered were "can't get dressed", "can't wash or bathe", "poor spatial awareness", and "poor co-ordination".

The court heard the schools which they attended had no records and were unaware of the children having learning difficulties, or communication and walking problems.

And there were no special arrangements in place for their education or their evacuation in an emergency. In fact, some of the schools did not even cater for disabled children.

In a school report, one of her children was regarded as "outstanding".

Some of the children journeyed to school in London, involving them travelling by train from their home town to the capital during rush hour and then by underground.

DVDs seized from the mother's home showed the children from a young age taking part in activities inside and outside home and on holiday without any apparent disability.

Footage showed one of her children swimming despite apparently being frightened of water and bathing. Another's activities included ballroom dancing, learning the cha-cha-cha and the waltz.

And despite Webber claiming one of her children disliked crowds and had hip and pelvis problems, they were described as a talented musician and actor who was "a lovely mover" when they "go for it".

Webber did not tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about any change or improvement in the conditions in any of the five children during the period when she was receiving DLA for them.

During her defence, she told jurors that sending some of her children to stage schools helped their self-esteem. And it was said that "to her mind" she felt the claims she made were genuine to help bring up her "extraordinarily difficult and demanding children with their myriad problems".

Webber told the court: "Despite having a language disorder, they can imitate and mimic. It's a skill that helps their self-esteem and it's something that I do to the extreme and, my God, it helps them."

She added: "As their music ability started to come out, I took every opportunity to do it with them. If I hadn't they wouldn't be ... (one of her children) would be in his room all day and wouldn't leave the house."