A STUDENT'S attractive and amusing illustrations were chosen by The Friends of Lodmoor Country Park as their new signs to encourage dog owners to keep their pets under control.

Members of the group felt that the issues of dogs running freely in the play area was a concern and teamed up with pupils from St John's C of E Primary School for some inspiration.

Georgia Collins, 12, who now goes to Wey Valley, was the lucky winner to be chosen from dozens of drawings.

Her creative signs aim to encourage dog walkers to keep their pets under close control in the vicinity of the play area, which is a large open and unfenced space.

Chairman of The Friends of Lodmoor Country Park, Dinah Ellis said: "Involving local school children was key, the issue is important to them.

“This is clearly a play area, but that is not respected by many dog walkers. Dog fouling and out-of-control animals are not appropriate or pleasant where families are playing and picnicking.

“We are aiming for cooperation instead of confrontation, and Georgia's poster is ideal."

Mrs Ellis added that the Friends were grateful for the county council grant obtained by Cllr David Mannings which paid for a new notice board at a well-used access point to the play area, and for the swift and efficient work and creative input by Kevin Swindell at Wyke Print Solutions.

The Friends of Lodmoor work in partnership with the borough council to improve the park for all to enjoy and aim to keep it user friendly by encouraging people to its qualities.

The new notice board has been placed where many people enter the park, and is on the approach to the play area, making it an ideal location to display one of the new signs.

The committee hopes that Georgia's creative illustration will remind dog walkers of the importance of keeping pets under control in this one small area of the country park, so that everyone can enjoy the space and the facilities there in safety.