CLAMPING down on nuisance cold callers will be easier than ever with Kendal’s first ‘no cold calling zone’.

Signs are now in place telling uninvited guests not to enter Edgecombe Court, a sheltered housing scheme in Kendal.

This follows the success of South Lakes’ first ‘no cold calling zone’ in Ulverston.

Trading standards are working with Cumbria police on the project which puts up signs at each zone entry point and encourages residents to put stickers saying ‘Door step sellers beware!’ in their windows.

Patrick Thomas of Cumbria County Council Trading Standards said: “There’s an 80 per cent reduction nationally in cold callers when these zones have been introduced.

“The Ulv-erston project has done a terrific job since it was first introduced in 2008 in reducing the number of cold callers knocking on people’s doors.”

“We hope the new zone will help people feel safer in their homes and empower them to have the confidence to say no to people trying to sell things on their door-steps.”

Debbie Robison, Mobile Scheme man-ager at Edgecombe Court said: “It’s got to make people feel safer around here.

“We’ve had people trying to sell funeral packages and insur-ance to our residents and the zone gives them a bit more added protection.”

Terry Belshaw, Cumbria Police Crime Prevention Officer, said the ‘no cold calling zones’ are paramount in comb-atting the national increase in crimes committed against the elderly “Nationwide the-re’s a growing trend in distraction burg-lary and bogus tradesmen targetting older, vulnerable people.

“With the new zone in Kendal if a cold caller enters that area they know the police will be called to find out what they’re up to.

“This will make police aware of who may be operating illegally within the county,” he said.

Mr Belshaw added that anyone who is a legitimate trader and respects the zone has nothing to fear.

To set up a ‘no cold calling zone’ in your area residents associations are invited to contact Kendal Trading Standards on 01539 713577 for more details.