PUPILS are using their pens and pencils to help keep their village free of dog fouling.

More than 140 children at Pittington Primary School, near Durham City, took part in a competition, organised by Belinda Snow, the city council's area neighbourhood warden, to design a poster to deal with the problem.

Ms Snow said: "The competition has been a great way of educating young people about dog fouling and litter offences and hopefully, by working with the pupils, the message will get home to parents and throughout the community.

"We are really asking people to act responsibly when they walk their dogs.

"The city council supplies free bags for dog owners to use and I leave a load of these at the local post office.

"We are working together to encourage people to keep the area clean and safe."

The competition was won by nine-year-old Emma Taylor and six-year-old Lewis Crisp, who received Tesco vouchers and goodie bags from the council.

The artistic pair's posters will be turned into leaflets to be distributed around the village.