NEW powers to outlaw doorstep conmen are expected to be announced by the Government today - seven months after the launch of a major campaign by The Northern Echo.

The Doostoppers campaign demanded a ban on cold calling by rip-off merchants offering to carry out property repairs. It received support from police, trading standards and elderly care charities.

Today, Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt will announce plans to protect vulnerable householders when she gives a speech to the Consumer Association.

Other aspects of a planned wide-ranging crackdown will include a ban on money being taken before a seven-day "cooling-off" period in which customers will be allowed to change their mind.

Mrs Hewitt will also reveal proposals for legislation to stop people being charged high prices with no way of getting their money back.

Doorsteppers was launched last November, with support also coming from politicians and utility companies, to raise awareness of the dangers of bogus callers and distraction burglaries, and press for a change in the law to combat door-to-door property repair tradesmen.

Incidents reported to the police in the last year include an elderly woman from Killinghall, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, quoted £3 a square metre to resurface her drive, but charged £6,750 for a badly-done job.

She was also warned that, unless she paid, someone would return and damage her property.