The benefits couple who are too FAT to work: Newlyweds who weigh 54 stone between them claim £2,000 a month

Stephen Beer and Michelle Coombe, are from Plymouth, Devon, where 60 per cent of adults are overweight. Mr Beer, who has been married six times, weighs 31 stone and has not worked in five years. He relies on carers to come in twice a day to clean and dress him. The couple (pictured inset on their wedding day) were filmed by the makers of Benefits: Too Fat To Work, a Channel 5 documentary about benefit

claimants who say their weight prevents them from working. Defending himself on ITV's This Morning, Mr Beer explained to hosts Philip Schofield and Christine Bleakley that he applied for a job where he would only be required to sit down but was told he was too fat for the job. He then added: 'The government are making it easy for people like us. I don't think I deserve benefits - I put myself in the situation. I'm trying to sort myself out.'