A CRACKDOWN on dog fouling is producing notable results across Malvern, with instances of the problem down by more than 60 per cent in some areas.

The Street Scene team from Malvern Hills District Council has made tackling dog mess one of its top priorities.

It has hand-delivered more than 1,000 letters to residents reminding them of their responsibility to clean up after their dog and has inspected more than 80 roads where fouling has been flagged up.

More than 50 sites have also received a follow-up visit and wardens have logged an overall reduction of 64 per cent in the amount of dog mess found since the initial round of inspections.

Streets where the crackdown has been a particular success include Lechmere Crescent in Malvern where 40 separate instances of dog fouling were recorded on the first visit but none on the second.

Anyone who does not clear up after their dog can be hit with a £50 on-the-spot fine, while there is a £75 penalty for anyone who fails to throw bags of dog mess away properly.

The team are highlighting the health hazards of dog mess, which can easily spread the ‘toxicara canis’ parasite that is very dangerous to young children, potentially causing asthma, pneumonia and even blindness.

Street Scene manager Gordon Morris is delighted with the success of the crackdown so far, but is appealing for the public to remain vigilant and help stamp it out.

“The statistics show our efforts are really yielding results,” he said. “Dog fouling is a serious issue, particularly because of the health concerns and we will continue to be vigilant and regularly inspect our streets.

“The fact residents are reporting incidents to us means we can act, so it’s vital the public continue to let us know if there is a problem in their area.”

Anyone who sees an act of dog fouling can report it in confidence by calling 01684 862151 or e-mailing worcestershirehub@malvernhills.gov.uk.

You will be asked for the date and time of the offence, a description of the person and the dog and, if known, the address of the offender.

l Last week your Worcester News teamed up with Worcester City Council to highlight the problem in Worcester with our Clean It Up campaign.