Anglers have amassed almost £2,000 in fines for illegal fishing.

Four fisherman in Kent have been hit with £443 bills each from the Environment Agency after being caught fishing without a license at lakes in Tunbridge Wells and Staplehurst.

Across the south east, the agency's fisheries patrol officers, including a voluntary bailiff, have caught and fined seven anglers for illegal fishing.

In total, all seven were ordered to pay more than £3,233 in fines including costs and surcharges by magistrates – more than 107 times the amount than if they had bought an annual fishing licence.

The offenders from Kent were caught fishing without a licence at Frant Lakes, Tunbridge Wells, and Monk Lakes, Staplehurst, between July and September last year.

They were Lee Bartholomew 52, of Plumstead, London, Danny Ashbee-Mullane, 29, of Tonbridge, Nick Powell, 33, of Greenhithe, and Oliver Page, 33, of Tonbridge.

Kye Jerrom, a senior enforcement officer, said: "We hope the penalties received by these illegal anglers will act as a deterrent to anyone who is thinking of fishing without a valid Environment Agency fishing licence or breaking the fisheries laws we have in place across England."

Officers routinely carry out licence checks and the Environment Agency urges anyone with information about illegal fishing to contact it on 0800 807060.

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence.