A woman dubbed as Britain's "most hated mum" has reportedly turned over a new leaf after finding God while in prison.

Karen Matthews, a 41-year-old mother of 7, was sentenced to eight years in jail, but only spent four years behind bars, after being found guilty in 2008 of faking the kidnapping of her own daughter Shannon, then nine, in a failed scheme to collect the £50,000 reward money for information on Shannon's whereabouts, the Daily Mirror reported.

Four years after her release from prison in April 2012, Matthews said she is now a teetotal born-again Christian and seeking forgiveness from the people she deceived even as she tries to survive on just £25 a week in government benefits after failing to get a job.

Matthews revealed that her transformation began after she joined a Bible study following her release.

"When I left prison I picked up a Bible and saw a passage about 'God loves you'," the Daily Mirror quoted her as telling a friend.

"I knew I was hated by everyone, cut off from my family... but here they were, saying I was loved.

"I know I did something wrong but I'm not the baddest person people are making out. I am sorry for hurting people," she said.

Matthews gained notoriety when it was found out that she faked her daughter Shannon's disappearance and purported kidnapping near their home in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

A major police operation costing £3.2 million was launched to look for her missing child.

But on March 14, 2008, Shannon was found alive, sedated with drugs and hidden inside a house one mile from her home.

It was then revealed that the kidnapping had been faked in Matthews' bid to receive publicity and reward money.

Matthews was subsequently convicted and sentenced to eight years in jail for kidnapping, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice.