WHAT is your strategy for avoiding town centre charity fundraisers?

Do you go with the head down avoiding eye contact approach, or quicken your pace and shake your head mouthing a vague ‘sorry, I’m too busy right now’, or do take the nuclear option and utter a sharp expletive followed by the word ‘off’’.

Perhaps are you so kind-hearted, wealthy or sympathetic to the plight of these infuriatingly chirpy tin rattlers that you invariably stop and give them a few moments of your time, as well as your credit card details?

Many readers have complained that walking through town centres in the region can involve running the gauntlet as they try to avoid being stopped every few minutes by these well meaning but street fundraisers.

Almost 1,000 people responded to a recent poll on the Echo’s website which asked the question: Do 'chuggers' spoil your experience of shopping in Darlington? 86 per cent clicked the ‘Yes’ button.

Darlington has introduced tighter rules that restrict the work of charity fundraisers, dubbed ‘chuggers’ - short for charity muggers. The Borough Council has announced that, as of this week, charity fundraisers can only operate on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. They will also be restricted to two people per street and only allowed to station themselves on Blackwellgate and Northgate, between Crown Street and the Queen Street shopping centre entrance.

It follows similar restrictions which have been imposed in many other towns across the country.

There is a clear consensus which says there’s not much love for chuggers and it’s a sensible move by councils who wish to encourage shoppers into town to restrict their activities.

The cash raised by chugging may help fund some brilliant causes but in using such guerrilla tactics charities risk losing our goodwill completely.