Hundreds of householders in the area were caught last year watching TV without a licence, new figures reveal.

TV Licensing last week released figures that show 380 people in Stevenage, 130 in Hitchin and 100 in Letchworth were all caught watching the box without having bought a �145.50 licence to do so.

Across Herts the figure was 3,300 - around five per cent of viewers.

Ian Fannon, TV Licensing spokesman for the South East, said those who do not buy a licence are making it unfair on the majority who do and threatened those who refuse to buy a licence with legal action.

“We try to give people every chance to get on the right side of the law, but ultimately if they fail to pay, we will take action. We take licence evasion very seriously, and any householder or business caught watching TV without a licence can face a prosecution and a fine of up to �1,000.”