IRRESPONSIBLE dog owners are making a real mess for walkers who regularly stroll along a popular stretch of Wirral seafront.

Alan Garner regularly walks along Seacombe promenade and onto the beach with his wife and children.

But he told Globe that the area is fast becoming blighted by dog mess and wants the council to impose fines on owners whose pets use the area as a toilet.

"It's a big problem in the area and is worse at the weekend," he told the Globe. "My wife and I walk along the seafront every weekend and the dog muck is everywhere.

"It's nice to walk along the promenade, but who wants to do that when they have to dodge the muck all of the time. It's irresponsible dog owners letting their pets use the place as a toilet which is the problem.

"We sometimes go to the Egremont Ferry and on Sunday and you have to dodge the dog muck that is lying around outside."

Mr Garner has contacted Wirral's Streetscene department on many occasions and the problem is dealt with, but he says the issue that is getting out of control.

"It's Capital of Culture in Liverpool and here we are living in dogmuck alley.

"It doesn't give the right impression to people visiting Wirral from Liverpool this year if the first thing they see when crossing the Mersey is dog mess.

"My children are young and I don't want them getting muck on their clothes and treading it back into the house."

Under the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996 by the Fouling of Land by Dogs Order 1998 it is an offence for an owner or keeper of a dog to fail to clear up after their dog has fouled in Wirral's public places. Failure to comply can result in a prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000 .Alternatively you may be offered a fixed penalty notice of £50.

Seacombe Labour councillor Adrian Jones urged owners to clean up after their pets.

"It's a real and increasing problem," he said. "I regularly scoop up after my own dog and I have on occasion very robustly offered poop bags to offending dogs. Some owners are irresponsible.

"The dog wardens are extremely watchful and the penalties for those caught are high.

"But the whole question of penalties is at the extreme end of things. We shouldn't have to impose penalties, because people shouldn't be irresponsible in the first place.

"This tiny minority is as much by the majority of dog walkers as by the general public at large."