DOG owners are being urged to pick up after their pets after coastguard volunteers had to wash off their mess-covered kit.

West Bay Harbour Master James Radcliffe has urged people to be responsible after the “unpleasant” incident.

Mr Radcliffe has been a volunteer with the West Bay coastguard rescue team at West Bay for the last 16 years. He said they were on a cliff training exercise on the green by the George pub close to the harbour, sorting out their cliff rescue kit. 

Mr Radcliffe said that the team had to wash off their kit after discovering the area was heavily contaminated with dog mess, which had got on their equipment.

He said: “There were many piles of dog mess. It wasn’t just one, there were multiple. We were working in the dark, we didn’t really see it until it was too late. We had to take the kit back and hose it down – It wasn’t pleasant.”

Mr Radcliffe said that the majority of dog owners were very good and picked up after their pets, but the small minority that don’t pick it up that are letting everyone down.

He urged people to be considerate, adding: “There’s no reason to leave it. It’s not just the green areas, it’s the prom as well. They need to pick up after their pets.”

Alan Thacker, West Dorset District Council’s spokesman for community safety and access, urged residents to help tackle dog fouling by reporting owners that did not clear up after their pets.

He added that owners allowing dog fouling without cleaning up could be issued with a fixed penalty fine of £75.

He said: “Dog fouling is a serious matter and any owner caught letting their dog foul without picking it up can be issued with a fixed penalty notice, which is currently £75. West Dorset has a great tourism industry, and what visitors as well as residents don’t want to see, is the area littered with dog mess. 

“Residents can help tackle dog fouling by reporting owners that do not clear up after their dogs on 01305 251010 or visiting dorsetforyou.com/dog-fouling.”