A CAMPAIGN to crack down on dog fouling and clean up Watchet's streets is about to be launched.

The initiative is being spearheaded by the town council but councillors are calling for community support to make it successful.

Dog Watch hopes to educate people and make them aware of the law and the potential health hazards the problem poses, to children in particular.

But the council is warning that it also aims to catch offenders, with the scheme hopefully acting as a deterrent.

Councillors gave their backing to the campaign at a meeting this week at which they agreed to hold a public workshop that will look at how the council and community can work together to tackle the problem.

The move follows a significant increase in the number of complaints to council staff and councillors about dog fouling.

The campaign will see the creation of a series of Dog Watch teams, with councillors acting as co-ordinators.

Volunteers will be given the task of monitoring the level of fouling in one of six zoned areas covering virtually the whole town.

Watchet town warden Julie Foster, who is authorised to issue penalty notices, will then patrol and target the worst areas.

Councillors have agreed that the campaign should run intensively for three months followed by a review to check its success.

But they are keen to stress that the authority is not "anti-dog".

"I think it is very important that we make it very clear that we are not against dogs or their owners - in fact we want to involve owners," said Cllr Dave Westcott.

"All the residents of Watchet need to be involved - responsible dog owners who pick up after their pets are just as fed up with the irresponsible few who don't."

Leaflets will be delivered to all households in the coming weeks to explain the campaign and invite people to attend the workshop, which will be held in the town's Methodist Schoolroom on April 9 at 7pm.

Posters will also be put up around the town to raise awareness of the crackdown.

Councillors were told the cost of the campaign would be minimal.

And town mayor and chairman Cllr Loretta Whetlor said: "If we have to spend a few hundred pounds to clean up our streets it will be money well spent."

Town clerk Sarah Reed said initially the campaign would cover the public pavements and pathways in Watchet.

"But we can't do this on our own - we have to have the community's help," she said.

"The point of the scheme is to catch offenders and act as a deterrent."

However, councillors are also keen to educate people and raise awareness of the risk to health that dog fouling poses.

In the leaflet going out to residents, the authority said: "The council is confident that by approaching this matter in a pro-active way and working in partnership with community members, we can all take responsibility for cleaning up our town and rid ourselves of this unsightly problem to make Watchet a safe, clean and healthy environment for all who live and work here."