BURNLEY Council is calling "foul" on dog owners who allow their pets to leave a mess.

Owners who do not clear up after their dogs will now face prosecution or a £25 fixed penalty.

The Burnley and District (Fouling of Land) order came into effect on the February 24, making it an offence to allow a dog to foul open spaces maintained by the council.

That covers parks, playgrounds, playing fields, woodland, cemeteries and roadside grassed areas. A report to tomorrow's meeting of the recreation and leisure committee says the Park Ranger Service will enforce the order.

A publicity campaign will be launched in March.

Park rangers will visit all the main parks and open spaces during the next four weeks, including early morning when people take their dogs out before work, to hand out leaflets and free poop scoop bags.

They will even mark the mess left behind with small flags to estimate the amount of fouling in each park so that the success of the order can be measured.

Enforcement of the new order will start in April.

Video cameras will be used to gather evidence for prosecutions to take place. The introduction of a fixed penalty scheme is being considered.

Simon Goff, of the parks services unit, says the order will significantly improve the cleanliness, safety and attractiveness of the borough's parks.

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