ALMOST 700 people were caught watching TV without a licence in Bournemouth last year, TV Licensing revealed on Thursday.

It said 670 people were found in the town compared to just 190 in Weymouth.

In all, more than 292,000 people were caught watching TV without a licence in England in 2011, but the evasion rate across the UK remained at five per cent.

Warren Carr, TV Licensing spokesperson for the South West, said: “TV viewing is as popular as ever, and it’s our role to make sure everyone is aware of when they need a licence.

“On behalf of licence fee payers in Bournemouth, we are committed to tackling evasion and enforcing the law. It’s only fair.”