ONE?of five new dog bins in the Calstock parish was ripped out by vandals and thrown in the river within two hours of being installed.

But Calstock Parish Council has vowed to replace the bin and step up its campaign to eradicate dog fouling in the parish.

The new bins were purchased due to public demand and a public consultation exercise was held to find out where best to site them.

Okel Tor in Calstock, close to the riverbank, was highlighted by residents as the worst problem area.

Parish clerk Sue Lemon said it was very frustrating to find the bin, which was concreted in, 'ripped out and chucked in the river.'

'The council has agreed to replace the bin if we cannot recover the one in the river,' she said. 'This money is being diverted from the salt bin as it was not used last year. However, we cannot keep replacing them.'

The other new dog bins have been located at Hingston Quarry Car Park, Station Lane at Calstock, Fosters Meadow at Gunnislake and Wheelbrothers Lane at Harrowbarrow.

Calstock councillor Dick Hoile said the bins would be emptied at least once a week and up to three times a week, and were in addition to the 22 already in the parish and the reponsibility of Cornwall Council.

'Dog fouling is one of the top issues in the parish so it is very annoying and upsetting for people to learn that one of the bins has been vandalised so quickly.

'At that particular location people pick up dog poo in a bag and then throw it in the river, so that is why we sited the bin there.

'We are also trying to educate people and have launched a campaign to encouarge residents to take their bags of dog poo home and put it in their own bins.

'Under the former Caradon District Council this was not allowed but it is now under Cornwall Council.

'We cannot put bins everywhere so we are asking people to bag it and take it home.'

Provided it is in a sealed bag it can be disposed of in the normal household rubbish.

The new dog bins have been situated in the more remote areas of the parish and, with the installation fee, cost £200 each.

Cllr Hoile said the parish council wanted to make the communities more attractive for local and visitors and would be putting posters up around the villages for the 'Bag It and Take it Home' campaign.

l Other issues currently being considered by Calstock parish council are the four car parks in the parish — the council is in negotiations with Cornwall Council about taking them over — and a neighbourhood plan.

The last parish plan detailing the needs and wants of the public was published in 2004.

Sue Lemon said meetings would be held in the communities for people to put forward their views on development in the future.

'If we have a neighbourhood plan it means we can be in control of the development we get rather than the Government,' she said.