"KEEP out of our neighbourhood."

That was the message from residents of Mayfield estate at Brayton, near Selby, to bogus salesmen thinking of visiting their homes.

On Thursday, the area will become the latest "no cold calling" zone in Selby district.

Trading standards staff and councillors, together with neighbourhood watch group representatives and residents, have been pushing for the zone to discourage dodgy traders.

North Yorkshire County Council and North Yorkshire Police have declared the entire estate the county's largest "no cold calling" zone. The zones work by encouraging neighbours to support each other in resisting bogus workmen, high-pressure sales people, and bogus officials.

Gordon Gresty, head of business and environmental services, which oversees 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.

"I'm delighted that the entire estate, of more than 100 homes, has embraced our campaign in this way and I would strongly urge other communities in the area to follow their lead."

He said the first zone in Selby district was introduced more than a year ago.

He said since then more than 75 schemes had been put in place around the county, and doorstep conmen and rogue traders had found the going tough.

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.


Street strategy to curb crime

The zones are primarily targeted against three major criminal enterprises:* 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 do not need doing and yet the fraudsters charge the occupants extortionate amounts of money to carry out the work.

* Distraction burglaries - where one "trader" keeps 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.