Published at 11:55, Friday, 16 November 2012

A ‘NO cold calling’ zone has been set up at Evening Hill Drive and surrounding streets in Cockermouth.

NO COLD CALLING: The new zone at Evening Hill Drive, in Cockermouth, is launched by, from left, town councillor Alan Kennon, John Greenbank, of Trading Standards, Mike Smyth, of Cumbria County Council, Austin Shields, of Trading Standards, Sgt Gill Atkinson, of Cumbria police, PCSO Pippa Meunzberg and Mariusz Gebura, of Trading Standards

The zone, which covers around 90 homes, has been set up because of the growing number of reports about cold callers and rogue traders in the area.

Residents include a high number of vulnerable people.

Signs have been placed on lamp posts warning off rogue traders while residents have been given stickers to place on their windows to deter cold callers.

They also receive a booklet and phone number to call to alert Trading Standards.

The zone has been set up by the Cumbria County Council Trading Standards team in consultation with police.

John Greenbank, Trading Standards area manager, said: “We send out a questionnaire and if 75 per cent of people request to set up a zone we will look to do it.

“It gives residents the confidence to phone Trading Standards if they suspect someone, and we can then react immediately.”

The Cockermouth zone is the third to be set up in the Allerdale council district, after launches in Keswick and Wigton.

There are now more than 7,000 homes across Cumbria that are in ‘no cold calling’ zones and Mr Greenbank said these areas usually showed a drop in crime and anti-social behaviour.

It is hoped that zones can be set up in Aspatria and Seaton next year.

Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk