PLANS to deter doorstep criminals from three more North Yorkshire communities have been announced.

"No cold calling" zones have already been created in Easingwold, Great Ayton, Pickering and Selby,

Community safety bosses now want to launch similar schemes in Pilmoor Hill and the Wathcote areas of Richmond, and the village of Castle Bolton, in Wensleydale.

It is hoped the move will discourage illegal and unwanted door-to-door traders and doorstep criminals.

The areas have been proposed by Richmondshire Community Safety Partnership for approval by trading standards officers at the county council.

Becky Allan, the partnership's anti-social behaviour officer, said: "The aim of the scheme is to empower communities which are particularly plagued by cold callers.

"Residents have the right not to have people turning up on their doorstep when they are not wanted. Cold callers going into these areas will be challenged."

The scheme must be approved by every resident if it is to go ahead.

The zones usually include between 20 and 40 houses.

Households taking part in the scheme are given stickers for their front door warning cold callers not to knock.

Signs advising that the area is a "no cold calling" zone are attached to lampposts.

Residents are also given a hotline number to ring to alert trading standards officers of suspicious callers.

North Yorkshire trading standards officer Clare Taylor said: "It's all about people having the confidence to say no to uninvited traders and to warn rogue traders and cold callers they are not welcome."

Last week, in Richmondshire, two men were arrested for allegedly breaking trading standards laws after attempting to sell residents a three-piece suite from the back of a lorry.

Several men were also caught carrying out work in the garden of an elderly woman without permission.

Trading standards officers were called after the men were challenged by the pensioner's neighbour. The incident was the second time the woman had been targeted.

The "no cold calling" zones are an extension of the Doorstoppers campaign, launched by The Northern Echo and trading standards officers in 2003.