A 100-METRE long footpath has been branded a health hazard after 96 incidents of dog fouling were reported in just a week.

Environmental health bosses at Ribble Valley Council have now launched a new offensive against local dog owners -- branding the culprits "lazy and selfish".

They believe that other councils in Lancashire would be hard pushed to find an alley with so many incidents in such a short space of time.

Now environmental health officers are to go undercover to try and catch the dog owners, who are believed to just let their pets run into the alley at night to "do their business".

Covert CCTV will also be used to try and snare some offenders, with on-the-spot fines being issued as well. Flags have been put in place where each "incident" is removed to show just how severe the problem is.

The path, which runs off Willows Park Lane, Longridge, and is used daily by parents to take their children to Longridge Primary School, is supposed to be cleaned once every three to six weeks.

But the daily complaints about dog fouling on the path -- which is unlit -- mean that street sweepers are cleaning it up to three times a week, even though the authority has provided a dog bin for excrement.

Environmental health officer Lesley Miller said: "We regularly receive complaints from mothers who walk their children to school along this lane, and want to enlist the help of the general public in identifying the culprits.

"We will be using CCTV to catch the culprits and will issue them with on-the-spot fines. If they don't pay up, we won't hesitate to take them to court and will name and shame them in the press."

Alan Boyer, the council's street cleansing manager, said cleaning Willows Park Lane alone was costing taxpayers £1,000 a year.

He said: "There has been a 30 per cent increase in complaints about dog fouling recently and we are determined to take action. Enough is enough."

The Dog Fouling of Land Act 1996 requires dog owners to pick up their pet's mess, with fines of £50 if they don't, and up to £1,000 if they are taken to court.

Other dog fouling hotspots in Ribble Valley include Chester Avenue, Faraday Avenue, Standen Road and Woone Lane, all in Clitheroe.

In Whalley, The Arches is a hotspot, while the Mardale play area in Longridge is also causing problems. Regular complaints are also received from Wilpshire and Mellor

If you want to report dog fouling contact Lesley on 01200 414558, or Alan on 01200 414494. Calls can be made in confidence.