POLICE and trading standards officials have defended a "no cold-calling" initiative to deter unwelcome sales people and bogus officials.

The initiative has been running in Shotton Colliery, County Durham, for more than two months with the co-operation of the local Neighbourhood Watch group.

But it has come under fire from the UK Alliance Against Doorstep Trade (UKAADT) which runs a fee-paying no cold-calling service.

People pay £3 to join its service and receive a letter with details of a helpline to call if they are pestered and a UKAADT sticker to display on their door to deter uninvited representatives or bogus callers.

Police and trading standards officials back no cold-calling zones, which are paid for by local community safety partnerships and have received financial support from BT, and which operate along similar lines.

Residents can deter cold-callers by displaying stickers, while street signs have been put up saying door-to-door salespeople are not welcome.

Paul Gibbons, of the UKAADT, which was formed in April last year, criticised the schemes as "an absolute mess". He said: "Residents do not know they are in these zones, while some companies are ignoring them.

"We want to know whether they are stopping genuine charities from coming to the door and who exactly is paying for them."

Mr Gibbons' criticisms have been rejected by police and trading standards officials.

As well as Shotton Colliery, a no cold-calling zone is being set up in Easington, County Durham, while in North Yorkshire, similar zones operate in Great Ayton and Pickering.

Craig Hudson, a manager with Durham Trading Standards service, defended the zones.

He said: "We know that instances of doorstep crime and cold-calling are declining since this scheme was set up.

"Yes, there are no legal sanctions or controls to stop people from cold-calling, but the aim is simply to act as a deterrent."

Mr Hudson said that charities were not put off by the zones. He said: "The Shotton Colliery scheme does not seek to stop charities calling at all.

"Genuine charities are licensed by us and other local authorities and are able to carry out street collections and other activities in these areas if they want."

Sergeant Darren Walton, a community safety officer with Durham police, said: "These zones were set up through neighbourhood groups at the request of residents and have given the elderly, in particular, reassurance to say no to any cold-callers.

"As a result of people being more vigilant, bogus officials have been arrested in the areas concerned as well."

* The Northern Echo lobbies through its Doorstoppers campaign to cut out cold-callers and doorstep traders.