A mother-of-eight has bought a  pony with her benefits money, claiming it will help her beat depression.

Marie Buchan, from Birmingham paid £200 for the six-month-old Welsh colt called Bobby.

He will be stabled at a cost of £22.50 per week plus hay costs, which Ms Buchan will pay from her £26,000-a-year benefits. Ms Buchan's agent Barry Tomes said the 35-year-old was on medication for depression and the new pony will improve her wellbeing.

He said: 'Purchasing this horse may infuriate some people. But what Marie needs is open space and a change of scene to help her bouts of depression.

'She needs to be out in the fresh air and open spaces will do her good her good. She said she had been saving £50 per week to purchase Bobby and save for stabling costs.

Ms Buchan, whose eight children are aged between three and 15, is no stranger to controversy.

She provoked outrage when she appeared on This Morning saying life was better on benefits and she would spend her wages on a boob job. 

She also previously claimed she was being turned down for her dream job as a garage mechanic because of sexism.

The former lapdancer, 35, said she had applied for dozens of positions after gaining a Level 2 diploma in mechanics

In July Ms Buchan said: 'I have been let down so many times, I just don't think I am really being taken seriously enough.'

She added: 'Maybe they feel I am too sexy for a male-dominated workplace, but I just wish they would give me the chance.