Workmates felt so sorry for her that they arranged fundraising drives to send her on “one last family trip” with her three children, aged 13, nine and eight. Hunter, from Hull, admitted fraud and perverting the course of justice and was jailed for 15 months.

       David Godfrey, prosecuting, told how in 2016 Hunter was working as a telesales agent when she produced a sick note for 21 days telling bosses she had cancer and needed surgery.

       She later claimed the treatment had failed and that she needed aggressive chemotherapy.

       It was only when her employer failed to obtain medical confirmation of Hunter’s condition that her statutory sick pay was stopped and social services became involved.

       David Godfrey, prosecuting, said: “As a result of his wife’s lies, her husband left the family home. He feels great shame and embarrassment at what happened.”

       John Dunning, mitigating, said: “The original motivation was simply to have attention and sympathy,” Judge John Thackray QC told Hunter her conduct was “truly despicable”.