A mum of 15 children - who claims £49,000-a-year in benefits - says she will go on having children even though her next pregnancy could kill her.

Margaret Wilson, 41, has been dubbed Britain's top scrounger because she and her partner refuse to work.

Eric Jamieson, 34, the father of her last 11 children, quit his job because his wage couldn't match the state hand-outs gained by being unemployed.

Margaret, of Fawdon, Newcastle upon Tyne, had her first two children, Gary, 21, and Lisa, 17, with one of her first boyfriends and the next two, William, 15 and Tony, 13, with another man.

She and Eric started having children together in 1993 and now have Tracey, 12, Steven, 10, Sophie, nine, Shaun, eight, Carly, seven, Choe, six, Ryan, five, Courtney, four, Nathan, three, and one-year-old twins Jordan and Jamie.

Yesterday she said: "They have called me the mother of all scroungers but I couldn't care less, it is no worse than what everyone else around here calls us.

"Everyone here calls us scroungers and gypsies and think we are making loads of money off the benefits.

"But it just isn't true - look at this place, no one could say I live in a palace, does it look as though I have lots of money?

"Once the kids are fed there is no money left, I can't save up and have never been able to - I never will."

"Eric is not a jobless layabout, he wanted to work but it wasn't worth it.

He was only earning £130-a-week as a labourer and I needed him here at home with me.

"We have been called worse than muck since we moved here three years ago.

"We used to live in Scotswood on the other side of Newcastle but they said they were going to knock down our home.

"We liked it there but they said the house was going to be demolished, which was a big lie because it is still standing there three years later.

"I do not feel guilty about claiming benefits - who in Newcastle doesn't claim benefits.

"Even posh people with children can claim benefits for their children, what's wrong with the state supporting us?

"I only have 15 children because I don't believe in abortion, I am not religious I just don't believe in it.

"I am proud of every single one of my children but they have been made to look like animals.

"It has been reported that they guzzle 15 pints of milk a day as if they were pigs. They are not though, they are nice kids.

"At our old house in Scotswood there was no trouble in the neighbourhood because lots of people there have big families.

"All I want is a bigger house, all of us have to fit into four bedrooms here. My neighbour even offered to the council to move out but we could have her house.

"They said at first they could knock a door through between the two living rooms.

"But that was the last we have heard of it and we will have to wait until there is somewhere big enough for us.

"Since I had my two youngest, the twins, I have had another miscarriage. The doctor told me if I have any more children it could kill me. But I don't listen to that.

"I think my body hasn't recovered yet from having the twins but I want another baby as soon as I can, maybe another set of twins."

The family claims child tax credit of £619, child benefit of £165, carer's allowance of £58, income support £37, housing benefit of £61 - a yearly total of £48,880.

Margaret added: "I just love children. I would do anything for my lot. I can't work because I am too busy looking after them all. I believe that's what I was made for.

"I want to continue having children. The doctors have told me that I would be risking my life. It's not that I am addicted. I just love them. I have had seven miscarriages but that is just the risk I have to take.

"There's no law against having lots of kids and how could I get a job with all these to look after.

"I don't agree with people who might call us scroungers . I have thought about contraception. The doctor gave me the pill once and told me to take it on the first day of my next period but I didn't have a next period because I was pregnant."

The familiy chomps through four loaves of bread 24 packets of crisps, 15 packets of biscuits and guzzles 20 pints of milk.