Man makes £300 from cold calls

A man targeted by marketing companies is making money from cold calls with his own higher-rate phone number.

Lee Beaumont paid £10 plus VAT to set up his personal 0871 line - so to call him now costs 10p, from which he receives 7p.

Phone Pay Plus, which regulates premium numbers, said it strongly discouraged people from adopting the idea.

Lee explained to BBC Breakfast's Steph Mcgovern how the amount of cold calls he receives has been cut in half since installing the number.