More than 120 rail passengers were caught and convicted for fare evasion in the West Midlands during April - 39 people more than during March.

The ticket dodgers have paid out £22,471 in fines, costs and compensation.

Posters naming and shaming the 127 offenders have been placed at Birmingham stations as part of Central Trains "Don't be a loser - buy a ticket" campaign which was launched at the end of March. To date the blitz has caught a total of 215 people.

Richard Brooks, Central Trains business manager, said: "The number of people who have been convicted again this month is staggering and just goes to show the number of people who have been travelling around the West Midlands without a ticket.

"We will soon be doing local stations blocks too, at stations with the highest record of ticketless travellers who are being penalty fared."

Around six per cent of people use the West Midlands without a ticket, a figure which Central Trains aims to cut by half.