More than 1,800 people were caught watching TV without a licence in Newham during the first six months of 2012, it has emerged.

This compares to over 970 in Tower Hamlets and more than 980 in Southwark, TV Licensing revealed.

Across the UK some 204,000 people evaded paying, just over five per cent nationally.

Victoria Sykes, TV Licensing spokesperson, said: ‘Figures paint a very positive picture as the vast majority of people in the UK continue to pay their licence fee.’