Image caption On average, each adult viewer saw 152 such adverts in 2012, while children watched 70

Television viewers were exposed to nearly 400,000 payday loan adverts last year, according to the regulator, Ofcom.

In 2011 there were 243,000 such adverts, increasing to 397,000 in 2012, a rise of 64%.

On average, each adult viewer saw 152 such adverts in 2012, while children watched 70.

Labour has already called for all such adverts to be banned during children's TV programmes.

"I don't want payday lenders taking advantage of the cost of living crisis and targeting children in this country," said Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, last month.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which takes over as the regulator of payday loans in April, is considering other restrictions on advertising.

A consultation on the future of the industry closed last week.

The government has already announced that charges and interest rates on payday loans are to be capped.

The FCA will decide on the maximum level of such charges, which are likely to be introduced in 2015.