DOG muck is proving a sticky subject for the Liberal Democrats in Preston who found it was one of the most emotive issues during their door-to-door election campaign.

The group wants to raise awareness of the dangers of dog fouling by presenting a three-point plan of action -including the setting up of a new by-law and a dog fouling hot-line - at the next meeting of the Environmental Health Committee.

But their proposals have been swept aside by the department at the Town Hall which has already prepared a report for the committee about the latest legislation on dog fouling. Environmental Health spokesman Bill Hayhurst said: "There is a by-law but that's is now superceded by the Dog Fouling Act 1996."

He said that any by-laws brought in now would be replaced by the act within ten years.

Coun Bill Borrow said his concern arose after speaking to people in the Mill Lane area of the town. He said: "There is a sign saying No Dogs on the playing field there, but the Council has no means of policing it. "I have received so many complaints from the people living in that area. Something has to be done about it."

And Coun Borrow said he wanted to see more publicity given to the number of offenders caught, in the hope of making other dog owners more responsible.

Mr Hayhurst said no statistics were available as to the number of successful court prosecutions, but added: "Fines are usually quite low."

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