Pirate radio stations, the bane of radio authorities since the late John Peel was discovered broadcasting from an offshore station in the 1960s, are talking to regulators about becoming legitimate under the country's first scheme for permanent community radio licences. Next week is the deadline for them to get on the right side of the law.

As authorities continue their crackdown on unlicensed pirate radio stations, with the number of prosecutions hitting a seven-year high last year, the new community radio licence scheme has proved tempting to those hoping to avoid fines and a threat of imprisonment.