Doorstep traders will be given the cold shoulder in York from the end of the month thanks to a partnership between City of York Council, North Yorkshire Police and Safer York Partnership.

Five 'Cold Calling Zones' will be launched in the city on 30 October with the aim of tackling distraction burglaries and other problems associated with doorstep crime. The zones discourage cold callers and high pressure sales people from visiting streets within them, and if they do visit, give residents the confidence to send them away, and inform the police or council's Trading Standards team.

Over the next few weeks, officers will be speaking to residents in the five areas to inform them about the zones, and encouraging them to participate.

The proposed zones are:
Huntington - Southdown Road area
Acomb - West Bank area
Beckfield Lane - Runswick Avenue/Melander Close areas
Fulford - Heath Moor Drive area
Dunnington - Greenside area

Matt Boxall, from the council's Trading Standards, said: "We receive over 30 calls a year about cold callers and high pressure sales people a year and we know that they can be very intimidating, especially to older people.

"We hope that York's first Cold Calling Zones will send out a clear message to unscrupulous callers."

It is hoped that other zones could be introduced across the city over time.