AN 18-year-old student was fined £50 and ordered to pay the same in costs for allowing her dog to foul a footpath.

Donna Flowers of Wham Lane, New Longton, near Preston pleaded guilty to the offence in a letter to South Ribble Magistrates.

The court heard that she was walking her dog on Station Road, Longton, when she was spotted by a dog warden.

The warden watched to see if she cleared up the mess and approached her when she made no effort to clean up after her pet. Flowers claimed to know nothing of the bye-laws so the warden pointed to signs on nearby lamp posts warning her of the risk of prosecution.

This case is the latest successful prosecution by South Ribble Borough Council against irresponsible dog owners. Last week five people were fined a total of £150 for similar offences and ordered to pay costs amounting to £250 in all at the Magistrates Court in Towngate, Leyland.

Niky Walker from the council's Environmental Health Department, said: "Dog wardens go out and educate people, we provide free poopascoopers but when all fails, we prosecute."

She said a survey conducted by the borough found dog fouling ranked higher in order of importance than, for example, litter on the streets.

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