A BENEFITS fraudster whizzes down a zip wire — despite saying he needed care seven days a week.

Paul Stevens, 70, wrongly claimed almost £20,000.

He was helped by his wife — herself a benefit fraud investigator.

Stevens told the Department for Work and Pensions that he needed help bathing, dressing, cooking and getting in and out of bed.

He said he was in constant pain, needed crutches to get around and could walk only 40 to 60 yards at a time after suffering severe back pain for more than 20 years.

But DWP investigators got footage of him messing around on the zip wire in a play park.

He was also filmed pruning a tree with a saw and kneeling as he gardened.

Stevens, whose benefits claim was genuine at the outset, later admitted walking up to 1,000  yards.

He was assisted in his fraud by wife Alexandra, 49 — a DWP investigator.

She said she only filled in the forms as directed by him.

But a court heard she helped him “cut corners” and he started to claim Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence to which he was not entitled.

The couple also inherited £240,000.

The couple, of Clacton, Essex, were convicted of fraud.

They were given suspended sentences at Chelmsford crown court yesterday.

Alexandra lost her DWP job in July.