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This means more evaders were caught in the town than anywhere else in the region except London.

Luton was also ranked in the regional top 10, with 737 evaders caught. Anyone caught watching TV without a licence risks prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000.

Elsewhere in the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Three Counties area, Dunstable and Waltham Cross were new entries in the league of shame coming fifth and ninth place respectively. It was better news for High Wycombe, which fell three places to number 10 in the table.ÌýÌý

TV Licensing’s database of more than 29 million addresses allows it to see which properties are unlicensed at the touch of a button. Enquiry officers also have access to sophisticated detection equipment, including high-tech handheld detectors, which were launched a year ago this month.

Nationally, TV Licensing caught more than 209,000 evaders in the first six months of 2008.

The top 10 for Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire is as follows:

1ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý MILTON KEYNESÌý- 1147ÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
2ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý LUTONÌý- 737ÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
3ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý BEDFORD - 403ÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌý
4ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý STEVENAGEÌý- 266ÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌý
5ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý DUNSTABLEÌý-Ìý264ÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
6ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý HEMEL HEMPSTEADÌý- 246ÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
7ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý AYLESBURYÌý- 244ÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌý
8ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý WATFORDÌý- 220ÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý
9ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý WALTHAM CROSS - 186ÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌý
10ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý HIGH WYCOMBE - 175ÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌý

Joanna Pearce, TV Licensing spokesperson, said:

"No town wants to appear in TV Licensing’s league of shame. Buying a TV licence is simple and can be done in minutes online, so there’s no excuse for licence-dodgers in Milton Keynes and Luton letting the side down.

"TV Licensing’s powerful database shows precisely which properties are unlicensed, meaning enquiry officers can target addresses where they suspect people are watching TV illegally. But we would much rather people buy a licence rather than risk prosecution and a fine, which is why we offer a convenient range of ways to pay."

For more information about how to spread the cost of your licence, go to: