WHEN it comes to cleaning up the Tavistock streets of dog poo — there's one man who can be relied on to do his bit.

Fed up with irresponsible dog owners who allow their pooches to foul the pavements, Allen Lewis decided to patrol the street outside his home in Parkwood Road and clean it up himself.

Now he's joined by more volunteers on Dog Poo patrol in the town armed with disinfectant to clean up the mess.

Allen wrote a letter to the Times last week appealing to dog owners to clean up the mess their pets have been leaving behind.

So watch out — the DP patrol are on the alert for irresponsible dog owners.

West Devon Borough Cllr Jeff Moody said he supported Mr Lewis' action: 'The vast majority of dog owners are responsible but it is the small minority who are causing the problem in Parkwood Road. Hopefully, the sign will remind the irresponsible dog owners to pick up after their dog.

'After picking up dog mess if there are no dog bins it is perfectly acceptable to put it in general litter bins.

'The voluntary  litter group Tidy Tavi, who litter pick around Tavistock each month, often finds that some dog owners, after picking up their dog's mess, will throw the bagged dog poo into the hedges and vegetation.

'This was particularly bad in the little park at the end of Parkwood Road where a dozen bags were found thrown under the same laurel bush.'

Cllr Moody added that recently, the problem had increased around Tavistock from Treetops to Courtlands, Bannawell Street, town centre and Market Road.