CHILDREN at a Darwen school are taking action to shame dog-owners into clearing up after their pets.

Pupils at St Barnabas Primary School on Knowsley Road are putting up posters this week to 'prick the consciences' of dog owners who use the street.

Margaret Mitchell, headteacher at the 185-pupil school, said: "We have such a problem with dog mess on the pavement outside the school and it's been going on for years.

"Local dog owners take their pets walking and don't clean up after them.

"They just leave it there and the pavement is absolutely covered.

"It's very irresponsible and the children will tread in it and bring it into school.

"Parents are getting agitated because it gets on shoes and clothes and, of course, if it gets in a child's eyes they can lose their sight."

Thirty children from year three have designed posters to tell local dog owners to stop the mess.

Margaret said: "Hopefully, this will prick their consciences and they will start thinking a bit more. It sets a bad example to children when people do this."

The posters will be put in place tomorrowon Friday morning at the Knowlesley Road school, where a dog warden from Blackburn with Darwen Council will also attend.