Beauty spot dog mess worries grow

Dog owners in Ilkley are being urged to take action to stop their pets spoiling the surroundings.

Complaints to Bradford Council about dog fouling in and around the town often centre on people driving up to Ilkley Moor and letting dogs out of their cars to run around and foul the landscape, before driving off without clearing up the mess left behind.

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, the council's executive member for environment and culture, said: "Nothing spoils a lovely walk on the moor as surely as stepping in a pile of smelly dog mess.

"Irresponsible dog owners are ruining other people's enjoyment of the area so we are asking anyone who witnesses such behaviour to take down the car registration number and report it immediately to Bradford Council. We won't hesitate to impose a fixed penalty fine of 50 on the owner."

She also urged people using Riverside Gardens to dispose of poop bags responsibly and not throw them in the river. Coun Hawkesworth said: "If you have a dog, please clean up after it and be part of the solution instead of part of the problem."