Grant Thornton calls in ITV Digital boxes

Each box is worth £39.99 and there could be as many as 1.1 million in the hands of subscribers although the firm admitted it had no idea how many people would comply with the demand.

The set-top boxes can still be used to pick up Freeview, the replacement service which offers 29 free channels.

In an interview with BBC Radio 5, Malcolm Shierson, joint liquidator from Grant Thornton said: 'We're hoping there's a number of those subscribers who take up our offer to buy the boxes.'

Shierson disputed claims that the boxes were given free as part of the original agreement with ITV Digital, but said the box had been given 'effectively on hire and had to be returned in circumstances where the subscriber ceased to subscribe or the service ceased'.

But, he conceded, that Grant Thornton had 'little solution' if people refused to comply.

ITV Digital collapsed in April this year with debts of £1.25bn and was shut down after administrators from Deloitte & Touche failed to find a buyer.