FED-up council staff have hit out at irresponsible dog owners who are not picking up after their pets on a busy school run route.

Complaints about dog mess outside St Luke’s School in Beaminster Road in Bournemouth became so frequent that officers have been sent there repeatedly to clear the area.

Now street services manager Stuart Best is warning they cannot continue to direct so many resources to one area and has said that they will consider stepping up enforcement if things do not improve.

He said: “We have a hit team to target additional areas over and above what we do day to day and we have been sending them out to this one area almost on a daily basis.

“That is a very intensive use of resources and it means that cleaning operations are diverted away from other parts of the town. It’s a poor use of council resources. We are appealing to dog owners to do the right thing and clean up after their pets. To do otherwise is antisocial, unpleasant and unhealthy.

“There is no need for it. There are nearly 500 dog bins across the borough and we are always happy to consider requests for more if asked to do so.

“Plus dog waste can go in a normal bin too if it is wrapped.

“We hope people will get the message but if they don’t we will consider taking tougher action and we do have the power to issue fixed penalty notices.”

As well as the specific problem outside St Luke’s junior school site, the council has also recorded an increase in complaints about dog fouling across the borough.

Last year, there were 209 official complaints of dog fouling but in January there were 46 in just one month. Other problem areas include Walpole Road, Cleveland Road and Sea Road.