DOG wardens in Petersfield have been asked to undertake special patrols on The Heath after complaints from fishermen.

Secretary of the Petersfield and District Angling Club Dominic Broadhurst told Petersfield town councillors there was an increasing problem caused by dogs which were not being kept under control.

ÒWe have received several complaints from anglers about dogs which range from dogs swimming into lines, eating bait and defecating in swim stations, often with no sign of their owners.Ó

Mr Broadhurst said members of the club paid for the privilege of fishing the Heath and felt that dog owners should have their animals under control and ideally on a leash.

ÒSurely they deserve to be able to fish without harassment.

ÒActions of some members of the public are obviously out of your control but we have been told of instances where people have put their dogÕs faeces into a bag and then promptly thrown it into the water Ð more reason for tighter control, I feel,Ó said Mr Broadhurst.

On Thursday members of the councilÕs grounds committee suspended their meeting to allow the clubÕs chief bailiff, Eddy Matthews, a chance to speak on the dog problem.

He told councillors he had raked three plastic bags out of the lake which contained dog faeces.

John Crowhurst told the meeting there had also been cases during the summer when dogs had chased ducks into the bird cage. The dog owners were nowhere in sight at the time.

Members of the committee decided to ask East Hampshire District CouncilÕs dog wardens to make more regular patrols around the lake in a bid to make sure dog owners kept their animals under control.