WHAT exactly is the purpose of the Telephone Preference Service? Our residential land line is registered with this service which I believe endeavours to filter out and/or preferably stop nuisance telephone calls but it would appear that they are unable to fulfil this function.

This evening during one early evening programme we received 3 nuisance calls during the first 8 minutes. I’ve used up my quota of barred numbers and during times when we do not wish to be disturbed we have to switch the phone off.

Recently a very good friend of ours had just finished a very stressful and tiring three week course of outpatient treatment and was looking forward to a good night’s sleep and lie-in. At around midnight that night her phone rang and she struggled to the phone only to find it was a sales call for solar panels. This really is an inexcusable invasion of privacy.

Never mind the renationalisation of the railways or energy companies any political party that can get a grip on this problem will get my vote.

V J Connor, Bishop Auckland