YOUTHS in Ayrshire are being urged to ensure they’re fully covered for their TV licence after officers spoke to nearly 100 last year.

New data has revealed that 93 people between the ages of 18 and 25 in Ayrshire have been picked up by TV Licensing Visiting Officers for watching live TV or BBC iPlayer without a valid licence.

The stats reveal that over 650 youngsters were interviewed across Scotland and more than 20,000 across the UK.

With 84 per cent of UK undergraduates aged 24 and under, TV Licensing is reminding them that they risk facing prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000 if they are caught watching live TV, or BBC programmes on iPlayer without a valid TV licence; this includes any device, not just a TV set.

.Not all visits lead to prosecution and the majority of first-time offenders are not prosecuted if they buy a licence before their court date.