AN X Factor reject and her family who claim more than £22,000 in benefits a year, say they are too fat to work.

Emma Chawner, who weighs 17 stone, claims it is not her fault she is obese, because she does not have time to lose weight.

The 19-year-old found fame when she was booted off the ITV1 talent show when judge Simon Cowell told her she “sang like a baby”.

Her parents, Philip, aged 53, and Audrey, aged 57, both weigh 24st, while her older sister, Samantha, weighs 18st.

The family, who lived in Ramsbottom before being evicted from their home and moving to Blackburn, say genetic problems have prevented them from working for the past 11 years and they complain they do not have enough money to live on.

In a magazine interview, Mr Chawner said: “What we get barely covers the bills and puts food on the table. It’s not our fault we can’t work. We deserve more.”

Mrs Chawner added: “We have cereal for breakfast, bacon butties for lunch and microwave pies with mashed potato or chips for dinner. We all love nibbling on biscuits.

“All that healthy food, like fruit and veg, is too expensive.”

The couple receive £177 per week in income support and incapacity benefit. Mrs Chawner receives an additional £330-a-month disability allowance for epilepsy and asthma, while Mr Chawner gets a monthly payout of £71 for his Type 2 diabetes.

Emma, who is training to be a hairdresser, receives a fortnightly student hardship sum of £58 and Samantha is entitled to £84 in Jobseeker’s Allowance every two weeks.