RESIDENTS are being urged to back a trading standards campaign against doorstep selling.

The North Yorkshire-wide move follows a survey of more than 2,000 households recording people's views and experiences of cold calling.

Almost 98 per cent of those surveyed were against doorstep sellers visiting their homes and ten per cent reported bad experiences over the past two years.

Stuart Pudney, head of trading standards and regulatory services for North Yorkshire County Council, said: "Our survey shows that people are not only irritated by cold calling, there are times when they are handing over significant amounts of money to unscrupulous criminals passing themselves off as roofers, gardeners and property improvement businesses.

"They often leave distressed, bewildered and frightened people with little or no chance of redress."

The survey, which was part of a national initiative by the Trading Standards Institute, also found that only a small number of people ever asked doorstep sales people for any form of identification.