EIGHT in 10 Scots householders were victims of nuisance calls to their landlines last month, according to new research by a consumer group.

Although the figure is 10 per cent lower than for figures produced two years ago, Which? said more still needs to be done to tackle the problem.

It is holding an event at Holyrood today in which it will call for MSPs, Scottish businesses and regulators to now get behind the Scottish Government’s Action Plan on nuisance calls.

Seven told their survey that receiving cold calls had actually discouraged them from picking up their home phone when it rings. Four in ten (41%) also said that they have felt intimidated by them.

Alex Neill, Which? Managing Director of Home Products and Services, said: “Nuisance calls continue to be an everyday menace for too many people in Scotland.

"We’ve ​been​ campaign​ing ​​for ​more to be done to tackle this issue​ and welcome the Scottish Government’s action plan.

 "We now need to see MSPs, businesses and regulators get behind it, so that people start to see a real difference and are no longer bombarded by these unwelcome calls.”

The most common calls to landlines reported relate to: silent calls (48%), PPI insurance claims (42%) and accident claims (44%). 

In 2015, the three most common types of calls were PPI (66%), silent calls (55%) and the Green Deal or energy efficiency measures, including boilers and double glazing (52%).

Which? surveyed 1010 residents of Scotland online between 1st and 8th September 2017.