A CLAYTON-le-Moors PCSO became the first to issue a fixed penalty notice for dog fouling in the borough this week.

A war on dog dirt was declared in October when the council installed 100 new dog bins across Hyndburn.

The first unit was put in place in Thwaites Road, Oswaldtwistle as part of a £15,000 bid to tackle problem areas.

The other 99 were put in place on streets and parks in every town after residents were consulted in June on where they would like to see improvements.

PCSO Adam Havaie issued the fixed penalty notice after seeing somebody walk away and leave the dog’s mess on the pavement.

He said: “After speaking to Clayton-le-Moors residents they told me that dog fouling is something that really annoys them. So it’s great to be able to work alongside the council and bring those who allow their dogs to foul to justice.”

Coun Nick Collingringe welcomed the news that PCSOs had ‘joined the fight’ alongside the council’s dog warden service.

He said: “It sends a message to those irresponsible dog owners.”

The penalty notice came just months after secretary of Accrington’s Woodnook Residents’ Assoc- iation, Brian Beston, said only prosecution would ensure the extra bins were used.

He said at the time: “We have had issues with dog dirt in the park so I hope it will help the problem but think that to make a real difference the councillors need to urge people to use them.”

Leader of Hyndburn Council, Miles Parkinson, said he had hoped the PCSOs would have been handing out fixed penalty notices earlier.

He said: “As a council we believe dog fouling deserves zero tolerance. We have worked with the police to train the PCSOs how to ticket dog owners.

“I would have liked it to start earlier but due to pressures on the police it was not possible.”