SILENT, anonymous and mysterious. The telephone calls can come at any time of the day or night sometimes once, sometimes twice, sometimes a dozen times.

There is no voice on the other end of the line, just an eerie silence.

Today the Daily Echo is backing Radio Solent's Silent Calls Campaign calling for an end to the latest trend in telesales which is leaving many people frightened in their own homes.

Increasingly, telemarketing firms selling everything from Spanish holiday villas to medical insurance are using predictive dialling systems software which allows them to make calls by automatically dialling a selection of random numbers.

It is done to increase productivity. However, more calls are made than can be dealt with by staff, resulting in thousands of silent or abandoned calls with withheld numbers being made to homes across Hampshire.

Already 1,300 victims have come forward since the campaign's launch. Some of those on the receiving end believed elderly relatives were lying injured while others feared they were being stalked.

Some even suspected their partners of having affairs.

The Stop Silent Calls campaign is aiming for legislation which will make it illegal for direct telephone marketing companies to dial more numbers than they can handle.

Radio Solent presenter Julian Clegg said: "We heard about this when we had a caller on air to say she'd been getting silent calls. I have had these calls when at home. They are extremely inconvenient and a bit worrying. It is bad enough for me to be disturbed during dinner. When you don't know who they are and especially when you are living on your own I can imagine they can be very worrying."

He said the public response since the problem was first highlighted has been unlike anything he has seen in his seven years presenting the breakfast show.

At present, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) offers guidelines to telesales firms advising that not more than five cent of their calls should be abandoned.

However, in a bid to increase productivity too many companies flout the guidelines and are never punished.

Although the telephone watchdog Ofcom can technically take action for the persistent misuse of a telephone network it has not issued a single maximum £5,000 penalty since it was given new powers last year.

In the last year the watchdog has spoken to two companies and told them to work more closely with the DMA guidelines.

Together Radio Solent and the Daily Echo are lobbying for legislation which will mean companies no longer have a choice about following guidelines, they will be forced to by law.

We also want to see companies provide recorded messages if an agent is unable to take the call and a ban on companies withholding numbers so calls can be traced.

Winchester MP Mark Oaten is supporting the campaign.

He said: "It is distressing for people to literally have the phone go blank when it rings. It should be legislated against, particularly for the elderly and single people who can feel quite vulnerable.

"It has happened to me on a number of occasions and I did not realise what it was. It is something that makes you think the worst. It is a very bad practice."

The Lib Dem has been joined by New Forest East MP Julian Lewis and Dorset MP Jim Knight.

An Ofcom spokesman said: "We do have a complaints procedure but we understand that without knowing who the caller is it can be very difficult for customers.

"That is why we are actively encouraging companies to follow the guidelines of the DMA and not withhold their numbers."

Robert Dirskovksi, head of interactive media at The Direct Marketing Association, representing 900 marketing firms said: "This is not just a direct marketing issue. The predictive dialling systems software is used by all sorts of companies and public service organisations.

"If there was a quick-fix answer I would have already fixed it. It is very difficult to pinpoint the problem when numbers are withheld."

He is in talks with telecom network providers to see whether they can release details of the most significant abusers of the dialling software so that action can be taken against them.

Have you had any silent calls? Call Clare Kennedy at The Daily Echo on 023 8042 4505.