The team in Darlington has produced a leaflet - "How to reduce unwanted mail, faxes and telephone calls".

This suggests that people who receive bogus emails, such as financial fraud scams, report them to the department.

And those not wanting to receive unsolicited sales and marketing telephone calls have their number put onto a central opt-out register.

'Increasingly intrusive'

A legal requirement prevents companies from calling individuals registered with the Telephone Preference Service.

For calls originating outside the UK, trading standards can direct complaints to the Office of Fair Trading, who can forward them to the authorities in the country of origin.

Stephen Harker, Darlington Borough Council's cabinet member for consumer and environmental services said: "Nuisance calls are becoming increasingly intrusive.

"Many people do not want this type of call, and would like them to stop.

"Trading standards can offer this advice to local residents."