Jeanne Pouchain, a 58-year-old from a town near the French city of Lyon, was ruled dead in 2017 during a long-running dispute with a former employee.

The court took the worker at their word when they said their former employer, who had not responded to their letters, was dead, The Guardian reports.

Lawyer Sylvain Cormier said: “It’s a crazy story. I couldn’t believe it. I never thought that a judge would declare someone dead without a certificate.

“But the plaintiff claimed Mrs Pouchain was dead, without providing any proof and everyone believed her. Nobody checked.”

Mrs Pouchain said: “I have no identity papers, no health insurance, I cannot prove to the banks that I am alive … I’m nothing.”