NEWPORT has retained its position in an annual "league of shame" of TV licence dodgers.

Once again the city was third - behind Cardiff and Swansea - in TV Licensing's annual table of the worst offending towns and cities in Wales.

Around 1,700 non-licence payers were caught in Newport in 2007, 80 less than the previous year.

While fewer evaders were caught in the city, nationally TV Licencing said it was more effective than ever in catching people watching television illegally.

And it warned it could be continuing its efforts to crack down on dodgers in Newport this year.