CHILDREN have made a heartfelt plea through the Leader for owners to stop dogs fouling their school playing field.

The appeal has been issued by year three and four pupils at St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, Saltney.

A group of 28 seven to nine-year-olds have written letters to shame pet owners after one pupil fell in faeces while playing.

English teacher Michelle Jones said: “This is part of an English project. We have been reading local papers and the kids decided to do this issue. They have first-hand experience of it.

“One of our pupils fell in it while playing. It was really distressing.

“Ours is meant to be a secure field with fences but they seem to get in. They are not clearing up behind them. Dog fouling is very dangerous.

“They know how dangerous it is. They know about children who have been blinded.”

She added: “I’m very proud of them for what they have done.”

Tough action including fines and police warnings have already been used by Flintshire Council to try to change the behaviour of dog owners since the authority introduced its first Dog Control Order last July.

And the council has launched an investigation to see if it has enforcement powers on school fields.

It has emerged some sites are not considered as having public access and therefore not enforceable. Pupil Sophie Ann Cheers wrote: “I am writing to you to ask if you will stop your dog from coming on to the school field.

“You are messing up our playground. Lots of people are slipping in it. Please listen.”

Ciara May Nelson wrote: “I am writing to ask you to please stop letting your dogs on to our school fields.

“This especially goes for people who do not clean their dog poo up. It is very horrible for children who slip on it.”

Cllr Dennis Hutchinson, the council’s executive member for public protection, said: “As a council, we are committed to stopping dog fouling.

“We have already introduced new measures including fixed penalty notices to combat the problem. This is an issue I take very seriously.

“We have also launched a number of education initiatives.

“In view of the issue of dog fouling on school playing fields a report on this will be submitted to the executive as soon as the current investigations are concluded.

“The current situation of school playing fields is a mixed one where some permit access and others do not.”