Nearly two-thirds of television sets bought in the UK are not digital, new figures have shown.

According to Digital UK, just 36 per cent of sets sold over the summer were digital-ready.

The switch-off of analogue broadcasts is set to begin next year, although the traditional sets will be able to receive digital with a set-top box.

However, the research showed buyers are increasingly taking up digital. Sales of analogue sets dropped by 25 per cent while digital increased by 183 per cent.

And Digital UK spokesman Jon Steel said the issue was not as serious as it appeared. "There's no question of analogue TVs becoming redundant," he explained. "But people find it easier to have integrated digital TVs."