Dog poo wardens could soon be a regular sight on the streets of Largs.

North Ayrshire Council wants to get tougher on pet owners who don’t pick up after dogs.

And measures could include hitting dog owners in the pocket through strengthened use of fixed penalty notices — dished out by an external enforcement agency.

North Ayrshire Councillor Tom Marshall told Largs Community Council that the council was looking at ways of tackling the dog dirt problem, which has been raised regularly by community councillors and readers of the ‘News’.

He said: “The council have tried to educate people about dog fouling — but education doesn’t work. They are going to go down the road to enforcement in the manner in which Glasgow has done, where 1000 fixed penalty notice have been issued in the past year.” The councillor indicated that litter and fly tipping were also being targeted.

Later Cllr Marshall told the “News” that it was, however, the dog poo problem that concerned people most in the North Coast area.

" The implied threat of an external agency issuing fixed penalty notices might be the answer, he said.

He added: “I fully endorse this because a survey I did here at the last election showed that dog fouling was the major complaint and concern of locals — and it’s not being effectively being dealt with.

"The issuing of half a dozen fixed penalty notices, with it published in the press, would be an excellent step forward.” Largs Community Council have repeatedly hit out at pet owners who do not pick up after their animals. At recent meeting Community Councillor Ian Murdoch suggested that shop CCTV images be checked to spot the offenders.

In Glasgow, fixed penalty notices of £40 are issued under the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003 to offenders who let their dogs foul and do not immediately remove the excrement appropriately.

The penalty increases to £60 if not paid within 28 days. The ‘bag it bin it’ campaign is actively promoted throughout the city and signs are mounted to lampposts and affixed in problem areas.