A MUM said she was left feeling "sick to my stomach" after detailed personal information about her was sent by benefit chiefs to a complete stranger.

Claire Nathan, 30, said she felt like someone had burgled her home after 13 pages of information about her were sent to an address in Sunderland, 280 miles away.

The package - sent by the Department for Work and Pensions - contained her bank account and National Insurance numbers, address and even her 10-month-old son James' birthday.

Luckily 48-year-old Jackie Hiles, from Pallion in the North East town contacted Ms Nathan and offered to return the data, sent by Jobcentre Plus.

The news comes after a series of high profile data scandals which have seen details of 25 million families on two compact discs disappear.

Ms Nathan said: "Someone called and said is your name Claire? Is your son named James?' She said she knew my date of birth, where I live, about my ex-partner, everything.

"It frightened the life out me. I was absolutely shocked, I was so upset.

"The information could have gone to anybody, but fortunately Jackie wasn't going to do anything bad with it."

Ms Nathan said the mistake - which the DWP has pledged to investigate - could not have come at a worse time.

She said she had recently split from her partner of 10 years and had moved into a B&B in High Wycombe to be close to her sister Paula, of Bowerdean Road.

Ms Nathan said: "I felt sick to my stomach. How can I trust them after this has happened? It feels like I have been burgled, like they have gone through my personal stuff."

Miss Hiles said she was "gobsmacked" when the details came to her home.

The letter was addressed to her niece Stacie Gamble, 18, who lives with her, and had "nothing in common" with Ms Nathan.

Her benefit and employment history were among the details in the package, which have been returned to the DWP, she said.

Miss Hiles said: "From the information I knew everything about her. I couldn't believe it given what has happened in the news. I had her mobile phone number from the package so called it and the poor girl broke down. It was lucky for her that I am an honest person."

A statement from the DWP said: "We are investigating why this incident occurred and will take any action necessary to further tighten procedures."