CARELESS dog owners who don't pick up their pet's mess face an £80 fine – and the wrath of local schoolchildren.

Pupils from Picklenash Junior School came out in force last week to protest against dog fouling in Newent. Like many places in the district, Newent's arboretum has fallen foul of careless dog owners.

Dave Warren, who is in charge of maintenance at the site, said: "Some dog owners have been picking up the mess and throwing it in the wooded area or under the hedges. The trouble is, if I hit it with the strimmer it flies everywhere. I've even found some hung up on branches."

Street warden Robert Carpenter, said: "We want to highlight the problem. It's a terrible nuisance, especially in a public space like this."

Forty-nine Year Five pupils went to the arboretum to protest against the problem, with banners they made themselves.

Rob Carpenter added: "I have been speaking to the staff and children at the school about the dog fouling problem and the children felt that they needed to do something to highlight the issue."

For more on this story, pick up this week's edition of The Forester.