DOG owners are being told to take their pet's poo home with them as Dorset Council introduces further changes to litter and recycling collections.

It has warned that dog and street bins are not being emptied on a regular basis and that street cleansing has been suspended.

The latest moves are due to employee absence and the need to introduce new safety measures to protect the workforce.

Lower priority services such as bin deliveries and garden waste collections have now either been suspended or are on the verge of being halted.

And householders have been warned that crews will no longer return to empty any missed bins. If bins are missed, people are being told to store waste safely and put it out on the next appropriate collections day.

A spokesman for Dorset Council added: "We will pick up extra black bin rubbish only if your previous rubbish collection was missed. We will continue to pick up food waste weekly. You can also put out extra recycling provided it is separated correctly

"Do not try to report missed collections to us. Visit our service disruption pages online to check if you are in an affected area

"Remember to crush and flatten items (not glass) before throwing away, as this will help create space in your bins and our collection vehicles."

The public has been reminded that anyone with symptoms of coronavirus should double bag waste and store it for 72 hours before putting it in a bin or blue sack.

People have also been told to rinse dirty rubbish and recycling items before placing in bins to reduce unpleasant odours and to take all litter home with them, especially dog waste.

Do not travel to a tip or use recycling banks in car parks because they are all closed.

Cllr Tony Alford, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for Customer, Community and Regulatory Services, said: "We appreciate that these new measures will cause inconvenience and frustration for some people, but these are unprecedented times and the changes are vital. We need everyone to show patience and understanding and work together so we can keep collections going for as long as possible.

"Thank you to everyone supporting our front-line employees by following our guidance. We will monitor how things are going and take further action if we need to. In the meantime, please stay at home and keep an eye on our webpages, Facebook and Twitter accounts and local media for further updates."