A DOG owner in Haslingden has taken matters into his own hands after becoming frustrated at the amount of waste left on the ground.

Stewart Molloy has drawn around dog mess found in Manchester Road in chalk to raise awareness of the growing issue.

The 69-year-old said people in the area need to clean up if they are going to look after a dog.

Mr Molloy, who owns a boxer dog, said: “It’s a bad problem all over the area. It’s effecting everyone in the community, people are just being selfish.

“If I have to I’ll keep a bit of chalk in my pocket at all times until this problem gets sorted.

“It’s so frustrating, I went to the Memorial Gardens in Haslingden the other day and right in front of a sign saying the council would fine people for not picking up, there was two massive piles.”

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Other sites which have been subject to complaints over dog fouling in Haslingden include St Peters Playing Fields and Birch Avenue.

Cllr Granville Morris, who represents the area on Rossendale Council, said this an issue throughout the country, but ultimately it’s down to dog owners to sort the problem.

He said: “This is a historic problem that has been effecting not just people in Rossendale but all over the country for years.

“I’m a dog owner myself and I know that me and most other are responsible and pick up any dog mess.

“It is the old saying about one bad apple that spoils it for everyone.

“It’s a problem to us all and it’s down to people to make sure they pick up after their dogs and if anyone sees people not doing so they need to be challenged.”

Rossendale Council introduced Dog Control Orders in 2009 after a public consultation to aim to help those affected by the activities of dogs, which included laws on picking up waste.

The council states that any person in control of a dog allows that their animal to foul on any public land and fails to remove the faeces can receive a £75 fine.

Anyone guilty of a dog fouling offence can be prosecuted instead of receiving a fixed penalty notice fine and anyone who receives a fine buy fails to pay can face the same punishment.