AFTER a long winter, I looked forward to summer's outdoor events and on May 19, visited my first of the season - the Ashton Park Festival in Darwen. What a disaster!

It wasn't the lack of entertainment or the cold weather that ruined my day. It was when I slipped on the wet grass and landed on a pile of dog filth.

That was my day finished. I couldn't find any toilets. So I had to drive the trip home sitting on a piece of paper. I had to fumigate my car and wash the dog dirt from my jeans.

One lady, who lives near, commented that the park was more like a dog toilet.

Do the festival organisers or the council not realise that they are encouraging to these events people with children who could be blinded or contract health problems from dog dirt?

I suggest that, in future, when events are held, every attempt is made to eliminate this problem.

It is also about time that uncaring dog owners were taught a lesson - not by fining them, but by rubbing their noses in what they allow to occur.

P. FREZA (Mrs), Mersey Avenue, Darwen.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.