'Poo-shaming' map hopes to tackle dog fouling

Fed-up village residents have come up with a "poo-shaming" map in a bid to tackle dog fouling.

Dubbed Doodoowatch, the scheme allows locals in Wimblington, Cambridgeshire, to mark dumping spots on an interactive map.

Amanda Carlin, who dreamt up the idea, said it was "not for the squeamish" as users can also upload photos of any unwanted deposits.

She said it was a "fun way of addressing a serious issue".

Where poo is reported, she marks it on a map of the village using a smiley poo emoji.

The reports are then passed on to the local council, or, in some cases, cleaned up by the village's most dedicated faeces fighters.

Former parish councillor Mrs Carlin said she hoped people would be "shamed" into bagging their pets' poo.

The map will show people where it is safe and clean to walk with their children and pets, she said.

She plans to monitor the scheme to see if the public posts result in fewer cases in the village.

Fenland District Council - whose officers respond to reports of dog fouling - has recently stepped up its patrols in the county and anyone caught failing to clean up after their dog could be issued with a £75 fixed penalty notice.