A couple in Deal have complained to Dover District Council about the amount of dog mess on the seafront.

Linda and John Ford, who live in Sandown Road, were hoping their walk from Sandown Castle to the Royal Hotel might be something idyllic, but were horrified to find themselves walking with their heads down, dodging the piles.

Mrs Ford, 54, said: “We started counting and by the time we reached our destination we got to 39 piles of it.

“We have calculated that in this small area there was a potential income from fixed penalty notices of close to a staggering £3,000 and that’s just in one small stretch of the entire seafront.”

Apart from the obvious unpleasant effects of dog fouling there are potential health risks. Dogs can be affected by several types of worms, one of which can also cause serious illness in children.

Mrs Ford said: “Why should irresponsible dog owners be allowed to get away with it and spoil it for everyone else?”

Dover District Council has unveiled an Environmental Crime Crackdown in response to the rising number of littering and dog fouling offences.

“Why should irresponsible dog owners be allowed to get away with it and spoil it for everyone else?”- Mrs Ford

There is now a team of officers issuing fixed penalty notices.

The Mercury could not get a comment from the district council as we went to press, but we hope to include a full statement in next week’s edition.

For more information or to report a dirty street visit: www.dover.gov.uk