Otley could become a cold-calling free zone in a bid to beat criminals.

Otley Neighbourhood Watch is working with the police on proposals that would see all cold-calling banned in certain areas to start with, then moving on to cover every home in the town.

The group believes the move will help police protect the public from conmen and opportunistic burglars more effectively, by removing the main way criminals can check a house without arousing suspicion.

Advice is also being sought from YARN (Yeadon and Rawdon Neighbourhood Watch Association), which is pursuing its own scheme, funded by a £1,217 grant, for Horsforth and Aireborough.

Ilkley introduced a no cold-calling zone, funded by money confiscated under the Proceeds of Crime Act, across five streets in Grove Park estate last September.

Otley Neighbourhood Watch’s Pauline Hanson said: “It would be brilliant if we could get the whole place to be a ‘no cold-calling’ zone, we could have signs up on the roads in saying ‘you are entering a no cold-calling town’ and we’d be known for it.

Read more about the proposal in the Gazette & Observer.