TOWN councillors will push forward with plans to ban dogs from a cemetery after the Lyme Regis mayor said dog owners were 'treating the cemetery like a latrine'.

Lyme Regis Town Council will ask West Dorset District Council to allow the authority to ban dogs from the cemetery, by either authorising a bye-law or adding the site to a designated public space.

Speaking at last week's town management committee meeting, Lyme Regis Mayor Cllr Owen Lovell labelled some dog owners as 'absolutely disgusting' for allowing their dogs to create mess in the cemetery.

He said: "I was approached by two or three members of the public without any doubt in their mind that people are pushing their dogs out into the cemetery and treating it like a latrine.

"I take a very dim view of that. I would certainly like to pursue the ban.

"I think it is absolutely disgusting that people can't be bothered to look after their dogs in a proper manner.

"We have endeavoured to keep the cemetery open, but it would seem some want to abuse the privilege of having shortcuts through the centre of town."

Committee members agreed with the mayor, who even suggested that the town council should look at installing CCTV cameras at the cemetery and ensure enforcement officers do all they can to prosecute anyone whose dog is flouting the ban.

Cllr Cheryl Reynolds raised a concern about identifying culprits.

She said: "If we've got a camera, how do we associate the dog with the owner?"

Cllr Derek Hallett, who is a former dog warden questioned whether there is a national law that prohibits dogs from being allowed on 'consecrated ground'.

He said: "For ten years when I was a dog warden, no dogs were allowed in the cemetery.

"There is a national law that dogs aren't allowed on consecrated ground. I know it is there so why was it changed?"

The council had previously proposed a dog ban at the cemetery in 2009, but councillors turned down the idea - instead installing new signs.

Cllr Brian Larcombe labelled the current situation as 'pretty awful'.

Councillors agreed to ask West Dorset District Council to add the dog ban to a new list of Public Spaces Protection Orders which is due to replace current dog orders.

If dogs are to be banned from the cemetery, operations manager Elliott Herbert said it would be 'sensible' to allow disability assisting dogs from entering the site.

Mr Elliott said: "Clearly our enforcement officers are unable to patrol the cemetery 24 hours a day.

"Most incidents seem to be occurring at night or early in the morning when natural surveillance is at its lowest."