DOGS have been banned from a town's playing fields after a council became fed up with complaints about mess left on the grass.

Ferryhill Town Council took steps to stop dog owners allowing their pets to use the football pitches at Dean Bank Park as a toilet.

Teams that use the facility had regularly complained that some owners failed to clean up after their dog.

To combat the problem a fence was installed around the pitches and notices went up informing residents no dogs are allowed at any time.

A council spokeswoman said that, after initially solving the problem, staff have noticed that in the last couple of weeks dog fouling has again become an issue.

She urged dog owners to act responsibly.

She said: "The football pitches at Dean Bank Park are frequently used by children and young people.

"The risks that dog fouling poses to public health should not be taken lightly. There have been many well-documented cases in the press of children falling in dog faeces and as a result suffering serious conditions such as toxoplasmosis."