CONSERVATIONISTS have launched an attack on the irresponsible actions of some dog owners in Hartlepool.

Hartlepool Borough Council's countryside wardens are becoming increasingly concerned about the amount of plastic bags containing dog dirt dumped at local beauty spots.

Two of the worst affected areas are the local nature reserves at Seaton Common in the south of the town and the Hart to Haswell walkway, in the north.

Countryside warden Robert Smith said: "Although the vast majority of dog owners now clean up after their pets, there is still a minority who insist on creating an unpleasant and unhealthy environment in some of our most beautiful areas.

"Within this minority there is a group of people who do bag-up their dogs' waste, but amazingly just throw the bags to one side. This does not solve anything in fact it makes matters worse."

Dog wardens visit the reserves regularly and anyone caught acting irresponsibly could be fined £25. Mr Smith said: "Litter picking is never the most pleasant of our site tasks, but it becomes even worse when we have to clear up dozens of discarded bags containing dog dirt."