Bradford today became one of the first places in the country to be targeted in a tough new campaign against TV licence dodgers - Target Zero.

TV licence officers were "blitzing" known licence dodgers all over the district. They have already been sent letters warning them to buy a licence before they receive a visit. And there have been warnings on TV advertisements.

Officers said today they already knew of six addresses in Rooley Lane, Bradford, which did not have a licence - out of the 55 properties in the street.

Between January and March this year, 1,198 people appeared before Bradford magistrates, charged with not having a licence.

The city ranks 27th in the country's list of "worst offenders".

Mark Aulsebrook, of TV Licensing Northern Region, said: "The success of our enforcement activity has not only meant that 3,660 evaders have been caught in Bradford over the past year, but it has also prompted an increase in 1,587 new licences over the same period.

"This has reduced the number of evaders left, leaving those who persist in using a TV without a licence more conspicuous than ever."

Eight places in the UK are being targeted by officers, including four in Scotland. The aim is "zero evasion".

The other places are Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Blackburn and west and south-west London. Mr Aulsebrook added that special teams of inquiry officers would be equipped with the latest portable detection equipment. It could detect evaders within seconds, even in high- rise flats.

"The net is really closing in on evaders," added Mr Aulsebrook. "Licence evasion has always been a foolish risk to take, but never more so than now - evaders risk a visit to the magistrates' court and a hefty fine. It simply does not make sense."

Licensing officers will not specify how many detector vans will be employed in the district during the campaign but say there will be much more than usual.

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