RESIDENTS in Frenchwood have vowed to get to grips with dog dirt which they claim is clogging up the area's pavements and parks.

After several heartfelt pleas from Coun Ken Cole, Preston's environmental health department have acted swiftly to give Neighbourhood Watch volunteers in the area hundreds of leaflets to warn of the risks of persistent dog fouling.

Every lamp-post is to carry a fixed penalty notice warning of fines for those who let their dogs foul on the street and on recreational ground.

Preston council fines more dog owners in an average month than many other councils do in a year, according to the Selborne Neighbourhood Watch.

Pauline Sharples, co-ordinator for the watch, said: "Residents in Frenchwood are really browned off with all the dog fouling in this area.

"We have volunteered to muck in to help Preston council spread the word that dog fouling is unhealthy and unfair on others.

"Now that we have the leaflets and notices, people have no excuse for letting their dogs foul. They should bring a bag to scoop up the muck and take it home."

Councillor for the area, Ken Cole, added: "By working with the council, we can do more. Within a couple of days of asking the council, they have given me hundreds of leaflets warning against dog fouling, plus dozens of fixed penalty notices to stick on every lamp-post in the area."