The news in Grays is still in black and white!

TWENTY-EIGHT people in Grays still have a black and white TV licence, more than any other town in Essex.

They join another 13,202 who are also enjoying watching TV in monochrome.

A black and white licence costs £49; a colour licence is £145.50.

Victoria Sykes, from TV Licensing in London and the South East, said: “It’s remarkable that with the digital switchover complete, 41 per cent of UK households owning HDTVs and Britons leading the world in accessing TV content over the internet more than 13,000 households still watch their favourite programmes on a black and white telly.”

John Trenouth, a Television and Radio Technology Historian, added: “The continued use of black and white TV sets, despite the obstacles, is more likely to be driven by economics than by nostalgia. For low-income households the black and white licence fee is an attractive alternative to the full colour fee.