The trading standards campaign in Powys will last one week

Powys Council's Home Safe and Sound campaign includes a checklist to help homeowners cope with unwanted callers.

One woman in her 60s has spoken of how a cold caller pressurised her into buying bed sheets and even claimed to be a spiritual medium.

Help the Aged said pensioners were particularly vulnerable to such traders.

This year's week-long campaign was launched on Monday.

A pensioner from the Welshpool area has described how a cold caller pressurised her by buy bedclothes.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said the female caller claimed she was a medium too.

"It was only when this person left that I realised how I'd been pressured into buying the sheets," said the woman, aged 61.

POWYS COUNCIL'S ADVICE Stop and think before opening your door to any unexpected/uninvited callers If you are in any doubt, do not open your door and do not let the caller into your home Do not be afraid to ask the caller to leave If you do answer the door, try to use a door chain and check of the caller's ID Do not part with any money or feel pressured into signing anything If you are particularly concerned call police or trading standards

"The caller claimed that she could tell I'd suffered a serious illness, although this was nearly 10 years ago, and how my dead relations were watching over me.

"She then said that I should buy the sheets for luck. I didn't really need them, but she was playing on the fear of my illness."

Clive Jones, lead officer for fair trading in Powys, said his department received "many enquiries" from people about rogue doorstep callers.

"Some have been coerced into paying money for unwanted or unnecessary home repairs such as poorly laid tarmac driveways, costly repairs to roofs and guttering, expensive burglar alarms and associated warranties," he said.

"The amounts of money involved can run into thousands of pounds."

A messaging system is also available in Powys which sends warnings about rogue traders to some 900 members of the system by fax, email or telephone.

Trading standards officers said 50 messages had been sent out since it was launched.

Iwan Rhys Roberts, a spokesman for Help the Aged in Wales, said: "There are unscrupulous traders who view older people as a soft touch. High pressure sales techniques can make people feel awkward or compelled to make unnecessary and costly purchases, often in their own homes."