COLD callers will be barred from knocking on people's doors under a scheme being developed in the North-East.

Durham County Council's trading standards service is working with the police and Neighbourhood Watch schemes to set up the county's first pilot zone where doorstep traders will be unwelcome.

To deter their activities, there will be street signs and window stickers warning callers that residents do not want to be disturbed.

About 140 "no cold calling" zones will be set up across the UK in the next year.

Each project has been granted £50,000 from BT, which has stopped its door-to-door selling practices.

The Northern Echo has been pressing through its Doorstoppers campaign for legislation to end cold calling by property repair companies, and for other firms that use cold calling to follow codes of good practice.

Information about the proposed pilot zone, and other measures to keep people safe at home, will be available at a trading standards roadshow that is visiting shopping centres this week.

The roadshow, and a seminar on doorstep crime at County Hall, Durham City, which takes place today, are being staged to mark National Consumer Week.

But the move could mean a sales drop for companies such as Avon and other legitimate businesses. Jerry McDonald, president of Avon UK, said the 160,000 Avon representatives - about 99 per cent of whom are women - would be put off by the notices.

The roadshow venues are: today, Castle Dene Shopping Centre, Peterlee; tomorrow, Asda car park, Bishop Auckland; Wednesday, Morrisons supermarket, Consett; Thursday, Milburngate Shopping Centre, Durham City; Friday, Tesco, Newton Aycliffe.