A SUCCESSFUL initiative to combat the scourge of doorstep crime is celebrating its first anniversary.

No Cold Calling Zones were introduced in North Yorkshire a year ago and, since then, more than 60 have been introduced across the county to make the going tough for doorstep conmen and rogue traders.

Now, North Yorkshire County Council - along with its partners, North Yorkshire Police and local community groups - is marking the anniversary of the zones by introducing another six.

The scheme works by encouraging neighbours to support each other in resisting bogus workers, high-pressure sales people and fake officials.

Posters and labels are displayed prominently in every home in the zone, and householders have access to special phone lines to report any infringements. Signs are posted around the boundary of the zone to warn off cold-callers.

John Fort, the council's executive member for trading standards, said: "Quite simply, this is about local residents or communities having the confidence to say 'No' to uninvited salespeople, and to warn rogue traders and cold-callers that they are not welcome."

The six new zones - to be launched in the next month - are spread across North Yorkshire and have been nominated by Community Safety Partnerships, local police or Neighbourhood Watch groups.

The zones are in Kirby Misperton, Pickering, Tadcaster, Riccall and two in Scarborough.

Three main criminal enterprises are targeted by the No Cold Calling Zones initiative.

They include:

Improperly conducted property repairs or gardening maintenance: The trader will convince the occupant of the house that repairs are needed, usually for something that is difficult to check. These jobs often don't need doing, and they charge the occupant extortionate amounts of money to carry out the work.

Distraction burglary: Where one "trader" will keep the occupant talking, while another often unnoticed accomplice scours the house for valuables and money.

Obtaining property by deception: The "trader" will deceive the victim into handing over money in return for the provision of property or services which the trader never intends to provide.

In 2003, The Northern Echo launched its Doorstoppers campaign to stamp out the menace of bogus callers. The Government has promised new powers to make it harder for conmen to trick householders