A town is hoping to clean up its pavements with a new campaign aimed at tackling dog fouling.

Stalbridge in Dorset has suffered a recent rise in dog waste on its streets, paths and green areas, according to the town council.

Councillor Graham Carr-Jones, of Dorset Council, said residents were "fed up".

Stalbridge Town Council has created 55 new signs based on the viewpoint of the dogs, with phrases like, "You're making us look bad".

It has also made an online, downloadable map showing the locations of 40 waste bins in the town, as part of the "hard-hitting" campaign.

Katie Garland, chair of the town council, said: "The dog mess is so unpleasant, there's plenty of evidence that most dog walkers do pick up, unfortunately it's a minority that don't, spoiling it for the wider community.''

Mr Carr-Jones said: "Some years ago there was the national campaign, 'There's no such thing as the dog poo fairy', that was good, but we felt more needed to be done.

"We've been talking about it for a few months, people were fed up. The problem seems to have been getting worse, the town has been growing these last few years."

A total of 3.2 million households in the UK have acquired a new pet since the start of the pandemic, according to the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association.

Mr Carr-Jones believes Stalbridge, with its population of 2,500 people, has also seen a rise in dog ownership.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk.

Households 'buy 3.2 million pets in lockdown'

Dog poo fairy tackles town's pet mess

Woman's horror as dog rolls in human poo at beach

Inside the wacky and wonderful opening night of Bournemouth's new buffet COSMO

Hospitality bosses on the impact of railway strikes in Bournemouth

'Remarkable' veteran celebrating turning 101 leaves lasting impression after sharing memories

Eight rooms broken into at seafront hotel and elderly guests' cash allegedly stolen

It's a sad day for the US, says Biden after abortion ruling

Abortion clinics begin closing after landmark ruling

Ukraine orders troops to leave key eastern city

Five beds for 500 patients at Afghan quake clinic

Driving through Russia to escape war in Ukraine

Fury and questions over China's treatment of women

What is India's 'luxury resort politics'?

Why this is a seismic day in America

Elation and despair outside US Supreme Court

What is Roe v Wade ruling on abortion?

Rifts split America's abortion 'ground zero' state

The moment Roe v Wade was overturned. Video The moment Roe v Wade was overturned

Why top chefs are leaving Paris

"It started before Covid, but it was discreet"

The films bringing sex work to life

Has cinema perpetuated damaging stereotypes?

A growing and influential intellectual movement aims to understand why human progress happens – and how to speed it up

© 2022 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.