Five members of an organised gang who claimed almost £54million in Britain's biggest ever benefits fraud case have been convicted.

The three women and two men - all from Bulgaria - used hijacked identities and real people to make around 6,000 fraudulent Universal Credit claims over a four-and-a-half year period.

Gyunesh Ali, 33, Galina Nikolova, 38, Stoyan Stoyanov, 27, Tsvetka Todorova, 52, and Patritsia Paneva, 26 pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering related offences for their involvement in a multi-million-pound scam on the benefit system.

The investigation located three "benefit factories" in the Wood Green area of north London where repeated false claims for benefits were submitted.

The business claimed to help people acquire a National Insurance number and benefits which they were entitled.

However, applicants who used the business had their money laundered around a number bank accounts or withdrawn in cash.

After being arrested, officers searched their properties and found hundreds of "claim packs" containing forged and false documents alongside more than 900 digital devices.

Their claims were supported with a variety of forged documents including fictitious tenancy agreements, counterfeit payslips and forged letters from landlords, employers and GPs.