Council sprays dog mess with coloured rings to shame owners who won't clean up

And you should be warned to steer well clear of them.

They are not some new kind of street art, an updated form of hopscotch or indeed messages from extra-terrestrials.

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The unpleasant truth is that each marking encircles a deposit of dog mess.

The local council has decided that each time a dog fouls the pavement, a warden must record the event with spray paint.

The bizarre scheme aims to shame owners into clearing up after their pets.

Every time some dog mess is reported a warden races to the scene and sprays a red circle around it, indicating that the waste has been recorded.

If it is not removed within a week a yellow circle is added - and if it is still there after two weeks a third white ring is sprayed on.

Cheltenham borough council says the scheme is an effective deterrent - but residents of the Gloucestershire town are furious that circles of highlighted excrement are littering the streets.

Jamie Anning, 22, a sales rep who grew up in the town, said the only benefit of the rings is making the mess easier to see so you are less likely to step in it.

He added, "Have they not thought about the health risks of leaving this mess out in the open? Some of the pavements look like a weird dirty protest in the Tate gallery.

"And I dread to think what the smell will be like in the summer as it gets even hotter with all the poop lying around. I can understand the need to tackle this problem but these people need their heads examined."

Jacqui Mills, a campaigner with the group Don't Rubbish Cheltenham, said, "The wardens do a great job, but this idea isn't working. It's said to be a deterrent. It may be for some less hardcore offenders because if they think someone's watching they will stop leaving it.

"But some people will ignore this. It's not enough."

The scheme was introduced last month as part of a wideranging crackdown on irresponsible dog owners.

Dog mess can be reported to the council by members of the public and the council's dog warden keeps a sharp eye out for any mess while on his patrols.

If the mess if not removed after two weeks it is either cleaned away or left to decompose.

Rob Garnham, council cabinet member for the environment, said there has been a marked drop in fouling since the new measures were introduced.

He said, "The spraying of dog mess is just one of several measures we are using and we want to shame owners into cleaning up their act. It is helping to control the problem."

Rob Bell, assistant director for environmental maintenance at the council, also claimed the campaign was a success.

He said, "We highlight dog mess in some areas to alert owners to the fact that we are aware an offence is taking place and are patrolling the area.

"At the same time we put up warning signs. The combination has proved to be a successful deterrent."