Letter: Phone pests

I AM surprised that Sarah Strickland in her article 'When the phone can become a weapon' (Real Life, 28 August) didn't address the far more prevalent practice of using the phone to annoy the hell out of everyone by trying to sell them double glazing while they are cooking or putting the baby to bed; or perhaps just doing something more interesting, such as watching paint dry.

So why isn't there a national campaign to stop these companies ringing householders? These are nuisance calls and it beggars belief that they can continue to get away with it. If I want a new kitchen, double glazing or . . . well, anything in fact, I am quite capable of getting it myself.

So never mind gadgets for tracing phone numbers; give me one that recognises a phone salesperson and tells him or her to go away.

Matthew Harvey

Salisbury, Wiltshire