Despite the allure of plasma, flat screen and high-definition TVs, more than 13,000 British householders still choose to have black and white sets, a report found.

Almost half a century after colour programmes were first beamed into British homes, people are still paying £49 a year for a licence to watch in monochrome.

The number of people with black and white licences - which are nearly £100 cheaper than the colour equivalent - has declined from 212,000 at the turn of the century to 13,202 last week.

But officials said the figure was still "remarkable".

"The cabinets on many of these are 'retro' in their design, making them conversation pieces even when they aren't switched on. It's a bit like owning an antique car," said Iain Logie Baird, assistant curator at the National Media Museum in Bradford explaining its appeal.