Mark Hetherington, 51, said he was too ill to leave his bed when in reality at night he assumed the identity of “Ian Kognito” – the stripping ninja.

He also said he needed help cooking and cleaning his teeth and said that leaving his home induced panic attacks.

Mr Hetherington thought the mask he wore during routines would prevent him from being caught but investigators gathered multiple videos of him stripping at parties, festivals and clubs around the UK.

A court ruled his fraudulent activity meant he was overpaid £5,018 in disability living allowance.

The benefits cheat learned his trade from his grandmother, Kathy Rowan, whose stage name is Kozmic Kitty.

The pair live together.

Malcolm Isherwood, prosecuting, said: “Hetherington said he was anxious all the time and especially in social circumstances and could not mix with others because of anxiety.

“However the DWP started to investigate and discovered he was working as what is known as a burlesque dancer and also nude modelling for art classes.”

John McLaren, defending, said his client “accepts he should have told the DWP that his confidence had improved and he was getting better”.

He was given a one year community service order and will have to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work as well as pay £125 in court costs.