IT MAY sound like a shaggy dog story but libraries in Whitefield and Unsworth are to lead the way in supplying poop scoops to the community.

Dog walkers everywhere will be able pop in for more than just their favourite book titles after it was suggested the libraries would be an ideal outlet for the scoops.

The novel idea was hit upon after local residents complained about the poor availability of poop scoops to help cope with dog mess.

During public consultation in forming the Whitefield and Unsworth Local Community Plan, the subject of reducing dog fouling in the area was a main concern.

But while people wanted to be responsible for cleaning up after their pet pooches they did not fancy the long trek into Bury to collect the scoops from environmental services, which is based at Textile Hall. Whitefield and Unsworth area co-ordinator, Ilona Snow-Miller, said: "We realised that people already go into libraries, and they use them quite often. So rather than look for a completely new outlet for the scoops we thought the libraries would be ideal."

She said there was a high dog ownership in Unsworth and many dog walkers used Sunnybank Woods to exercise their pets, adding: "If people are coming into the libraries to pick up their poop scoops, they might wish to use the library services as well!"

The poop scoops will be handed out free of charge from the branches in Pinfold Lane and Sunnybank Road and if the scheme proves successful it will be extended to other libraries in the borough and possibly introduced at local community centres.

The scheme is just one of a number of proposals put forward in the Local Community Plan to help combat the problem of dog fouling.

Other ideas include increasing the number of dog waste bins and upgrading existing ones, operating a public campaign to reduce dog mess and increasing targeted dog warden patrols in problem areas. Speaking on behalf of the libraries, Bury Council's arts and culture spokesman, Coun Siobhan Costello, said: "I know that poop scoops are not normally something you would associate with a library, but we have always tried to cater to local demand and to make our facilities an intricate part of the local community.

"If by making the scoops available we can help successfully tackle this problem, then it would after all be in the best traditions of the library service by providing a happy ending!"