DOG owners' failure to pick up their pets' mess has sparked anger among users of one of the city's historic parks.

Over the past year, people who regularly use Fort Royal Park have been upset by the amount of dog muck left on paths and in grass areas.

Resident Steve Williams believes the majority of the mess is the responsibility of one owner.

He said "For the last 12 months there have been two dogs walked around.

"There will be three or four poos every week."

Friends of Fort Royal Park and council officers are working together to find a solution to the problem blighting the park.

Not picking up dog mess is an offence which could land a guilty party with a maximum fine of £1,000. However, the offence is difficult to prove.

Jabba Riaz, deputy leader of Worcester City Council and a ward councillor covering Fort Royal, said: "I and members of Fort Royal residents group met with civil enforcement officers to discuss concerns around the maintenance of the park and dog mess.

PLAN: Councillor Jabba Riaz said a plan is in place to tackle the dog poo problem on Fort Royal Park.

"There is a plan that has been put in place to monitor and enforce.

"It is a blight on the landscape, dangerous for kids and a health hazard for all of us.

"Fort Royal is a historic and beautiful park that residents and councillors have fought hard to get up to green flag status. They are proud of what they have achieved there, which makes it all the more important to ensure that the message of litter and dog foiling gets across to all users."

As part of the plan to monitor Fort Royal, council officers will now prioritise cleaning the main road in the area if anything is spotted.

Issues regarding doo poo are not unfamiliar to Worcester City Council. In 2022, it was discovered that, despite repeated concerns from residents across the city, just two people had been fined in 2021 for not picking up their pet's mess. 

Dog poo is recognised as a pollutant and, while rare, can cause humans to contract diseases such as toxocariasis, which can cause a high temperature, coughing, stomach ache, rashes, pain in eyes and, in extreme cases, blindness.