CHILDREN have been using their creative skills to help the fight against dog mess outside their schools.

Pupils at Drury Primary School and Southdown CP School, Buckley designed posters to display outside their schools and in the town to warn dog owners about not clearing up.

And with Flintshire Council putting pressure on dog owners with tougher enforcement the scheme is being hailed as a success.

Mark Biltcliffe, headteacher at Drury, said: “We are aware of dog mess and how it can be unsightly.

“These posters were designed to raise awareness and make people more considerate. The parents have been very supportive. They do not like the dog mess, they are glad we are doing something about it.

“Since the posters went up, we have not had a problem.”

Andrew Wilkie, head at Southdown, said: “There is a horrendous problem in the area, especially as parents are walking their children to school.

“There are dog bins around, but they are not being used.

“The posters have helped the problem, but it will still exist until people take it on themselves.”

Flintshire Council recently introduced a dog control order making it an offence for those in control of dogs to allow fouling to occur and not to clean it up.

Instead of prosecution through the courts offenders now have the chance to accept a £75 fixed penalty, payable within 14 days but a prompt payment incentive reduces the penalty to £50 if paid within seven days of the offence.

Enforcement will be undertaken by officers authorised by the council which will include police and community support officers as well as the council’s own enforcement officers.

District police inspector Martin Best said: “I would encourage all dog owners to take personal responsibility for cleaning up after their pets, thus helping to keep Buckley a clean, safe place to live and visit.”