Kicking up a stink

The News has received a number of complaints from locals who have been disgusted by the sight of the bags with their none-too-pleasant contents littered near trees.

Among them was Carrickstone resident Margaret Wright who was so appalled that she took this photograph.

Mrs Wright said:“I was horrified when I saw the bags in the first place and I complained to North Lanarkshire Council on Wednesday.

“And two days later, they were still there. Enviromentally that is atrocious. It is a threat to public health,” said Margaret who is a midwife.

“I cannot imagine who would do this. I have teenage boys and I just cannot imagine young people for example emptying bins as an act of vandalism - but something needs to be done about it,” she added.

When the News addressed the problem with NLC, its ground maintenance manager Paul Duncan confirmed: “There is a problem with dog waste bags being dumped in this part of Cumbernauld.

“It appears to be caused by a lack of litter bins on a pathway frequently used by dog walkers, who consequently drop the bags as they go through the wooded area separating the old and new parts of the cemetery.

“We’re currently organising a clean up and looking at options for introducing more litter bins, but we would ask that all dog walkers using this pathway show respect to other walkers or to visitors to the cemetery or the Community Woodland and dispose of their dog waste responsibly.

“In the meantime, complaints about dog fouling can be made to our environmental team through Northline on 01698 403110 or on our website at www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk.”