A RESERVOIR on the outskirts of Oxenhope is among the worst places in the region for dog fouling, according to Yorkshire Water.

The company says this problem is affecting the paths around Leeming Reservoir, and has now given its support to a national campaign in a bid to resolve the issue.

The campaign, called the "Big Scoop", has been created by Dogs Trust, with an aim of encouraging all dog owners to act responsibly and scoop up after their pets.

Yorkshire Water has revealed it has spent around £60,000 in the last five years trying to deal with dog mess on its land.

Alastair Harvey, recreation advisor at the company, said: “We welcome dog owners to our sites but leaving dog mess spoils the experience for our other visitors.

"So we're asking dog owners to bag it and bin it. We spend around £12,000 a year to tackle the problem and have bins provided at our most popular reservoirs, so we ask people to please use them and help us keep these beauty spots clean and enjoyable for all.”

Alex Jackson, campaigns manager at Dogs Trust, said: “People who fail to pick up after their dog give other dogs and their owners a bad name.

"While it is a small minority who don’t scoop their dogs poop, we are hoping the Big Scoop will remind everyone to help keep their local area dog poo free, prompt other owners to pick up dog mess and dispose of it in any public bin.”