CONSUMER champs in Leigh have given their support to national calls to give cold callers the cold shoulder - once and for all.

The Council's Trading Standards team has long been spearheading the fight to protect the public from the menace of rogue door to door salespeople by arming residents with information and advice through its sucessfull Foot In The Door campaign.

Now the team is backing proposed new government legislation that would target rogues who offer to do such things as carry out property repairs, maintenance and other work like roofing and drive-laying. Often the work is hugely overpriced and shoddy or in some cases not completed.

The proposed legislation comes as part of consulation document and as a response, Trading Standards bosses locally are calling for a ban on cold-calling to beat rogue traders offering to do property repairs.

There is a call to extend the 'seven-day cooling off period'- the time the time customer has to change their mind after agreeing to the work being done.

There is a further call for a ban on goods being delivered; work being carried out or money changing hands during this cooling-off period.

Wigan Council's Chief Trading Officer Alan Blundell, said: "We have to deal with cases of rogue doorstep traders all the time. They are completely unscrupulous and will target the elderly and vulnerable and have no hesitation in ripping them off with shoddy and expensive work.

"Our Foot In The Door campaign has helped many people in the borough realise that the best response you can give to these people is a firm no thank you!

He added; "We fully support the TSI's call for a ban on cold calling.

It would send a message to the criminals to stop and also send a message to householders that you don't have to put up with it at all, just call the police.

"We would urge anyone who feels strongly about this issue to get behind the TSI campaign."