Million 'poop scoops' given away

One million free "poop scoop" bags are being handed out to dog owners in East Durham in a bid to combat dog fouling.

Easington District Council is giving away the bags to remind owners to take their responsibility to clean up after their pets seriously.

Since April, the authority has issued 58 fines for dog fouling and the cash has been used to pay for the bags.

They can be collected from venues including community centres and schools for one week from Tuesday.

'No excuse'

As part of the campaign residents are also being urged to report incidents of dog mess.

Councillor George Patterson, executive member for liveability, said: "Our environmental and street wardens are constantly on the lookout for people flouting the law so I would urge residents to pick up their share of free bags and make sure they use them."

Under the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996, anyone failing to clean up after their pet could face a £50 fixed penalty fine or even a court appearance, with a possible fine of up to £1,000.