Companies would no longer be able to use the edited version of the roll to send out unsolicited mail.

Last year an estimated 170,000 people paid an average of 240 each after receiving unsolicited mail offering lucky charms, lottery wins or solace after bereavement.

With volumes of unsolicited mail increasing 'anti-spam veterans are not optimistic about the spam battle' it said.

They also offer a service to prevent advertisers from sending unsolicited mail into their users' mailboxes.