Nearly 600 coupons have been returned so far backing the Daily Echo/Radio Solent End the Sound of Silence campaign to legislate against computer-generated silent telephone calls. Clare Kennedy reports...

HUNDREDS of Daily Echo readers have backed our Stop Silent Calls campaign.

Nearly 600 people in the last week have sent in our End the Sound of Silence coupons calling for a change in the law to end the menace of computer-generated calls.

Together with BBC Radio Solent we are calling for legislation to prevent direct marketing companies and other firms dialling more numbers than they can handle.

By completing the form, printed in today's Daily Echo, you can add your name to our campaign to stop companies abusing predictive dialling software, which allows call staff to dial more numbers than can be dealt with.

While the method is used to increase productivity for telesales companies it results in thousands of abandoned or silent calls.

The campaign has already attracted cross party support and a pledge from a top government minister, Mike O'Brien MP, who has promised to take up the issue with the telecommunications watchdog Ofcom.

Dozens of you have contacted the Echo by phone and letter with your stories of the anonymous silent calls that can come at any time of the day.

Elderly people say they have been left frightened and mystified by the calls, which they continue to get even if they have registered their numbers as ex-directory or if they have signed up to the Telephone Preference Service.

John Snook of Orchard Way, Dibden Purlieu, was just one of many who have backed our campaign.

He said: "The calls do not worry me at all but are a nuisance. I do not have the phone for that purpose.

"On calls that have been answered I demand that first they give me their phone number.

"The usual reply to that is that they are not allowed to do so, so I ring off!"

Together Radio Solent and the Daily Echo would like to see legislation which will mean companies no longer have a choice about industry guidelines, rather than be forced to by law.

Have you been troubled by silent sales calls? Complete the form printed on page eight of today's Daily Echo and help stop the menace!