Weymouth residents are taking matters into their own hands to stop dog fouling.

Markham and Little Francis, between Lanehouse and Wyke Regis, has had a fouling problem for years which worsened after it became one of the only places left in the town where dogs can be walked off the lead.

A group of local residents have decided to tackle the problem and are launching a campaign to encourage pet owners to clean up after their animals.

They are printing business cards that will be handed out to members of the public with contact detals of the borough dog warden to report an incident.

Gill Taylor, leading the campaign, said: “All we want is for people to be responsible and pick up after their dogs.

“It’s a problem we’ve had here for years but there’s been a huge increase since the dog control orders came into place because the green is one of the few areas where dogs can be exercised off the lead.”

There are three dog bins at the entrances to the fields, one is maintained by the council and the other two by local volunteers.

Mrs Taylor added: “A lot of people are aware of it now but there are still a few who are a pain in the neck. We know who they are and it’s just a case of catching them.”

Ian Lewis, the local dog warden, is going to enforce the no fouling laws along the footpaths on the green.

In October 2010 Weymouth and Portland Borough Council introduced a ban on letting dogs run free in a whole host of open spaces in both towns.

The decision attracted a lot of controversy and currently the council is in consultation with the public on making the dog control order in the Nothe Gardens seasonal.

The Society for the Protection of Markham and Little Francis has decided to rid the area of its reputation as a ‘dog toilet’ to help its appeal against a proposed housing development on the land.

Mary Larkin, a committee member of the society, said: “A lot of people in favour of the development have branded the fields as being a ‘dog toilet’ because they want to discredit it.”

Date set for appeal

Betterment Properties bought the land in 2004 with the intention of developing it.

There followed years of legal disputes over whether the company would be allowed to build on the land.

In November 2010 the High Court revoked the area’s green status, allowing Betterment to submit planning applications.

The society were given leave to appeal against this decision but did not have sufficient finances.

Earlier this year a High Court judge capped the legal fees at £7,000 for the appeal if they lose, enabling them to continue.

An appeal date at the Courts of Justice has now been set for February.