A NEW campaign to discourage dog owners from allowing their pets to foul in public places has been launched in Burnham.

Members of Burnham and Highbridge Youth Town Council embarked on the campaign in Apex Park last week, after gaining permission from roads and Sedgemoor District Council.

The youngsters have used temporary spray chalk to stencil ‘Responsible Dog Owners Bin It’ onto strategic spots on several pathways to catch the attention of dog walkers.

The group has also been handing out leaflets and chatting to dog owners to spread awareness.

Cllr Katie Lawson, who has been involved in the campaign, said: “We had £100 of funding through The Take Art Project, What Change?, which has paid for the leaflets, posters, Bonios, poop bags and spray chalk.

“It just goes to show that you don’t need massive amounts of money to get out there and do something.”

“We are also putting up campaign posters are also being put up at designated poster points around the town as well as handing out a free ‘poop’ bag to encourage owners to pick up after their dogs.”

The youth town councillors have also held wordplay and poetry workshops earlier in the summer as well as a digital artist workshop at the Youth Town Council group to explore language and visual imagery to be used in the campaign.

The group hopes to be able to carry out more artwork and stencilling at different sites in other areas of the town, and is hopeful that the awareness leaflets and positive message will encourage the right steps towards a cleaner and healthier walking environment in Burnham.