Staff at the Northern Echo are helping in the fight to stamp out doorstep con men after the newspaper became the first in the country to sign up to the National Doorstop Cold Calling Protocol.

Already supported by organisations such as British Gas, npower, Crimestoppers and Transco, the agreement says it is the duty of cold-callers to prove they are who they say they are.

Now the Echo has become the first newspaper to sign up, and all of its canvassing staff have been given training on how best to carry out doorstep-calling.

Through the scheme Echo staff have also made their identification easier to read.

Launched by the Trading Standards Institute in 2002, the protocol aims to stop rogue traders by making it easier for legimate callers to prove they are genuine.

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