FOOTBALL matches in Taunton face being abandoned on safety grounds because council-owned pitches are covered in dogs' mess.

Thousands of children and adults, who use the Taunton Deane Council-owned pitches, are being put at risk, and football bosses are demanding action to crack down on the problem.

Dog owners face a £1,000 fine if they don't clean up after their pet, but the Taunton Saturday, Sunday and Youth Football Leagues are calling for tougher enforcement.

Dogs' mess can harbour toxocara roundworm eggs, which cause stomach upsets, sore throats, asthma and even blindness, and children are especially vulnerable.

Hotspots for the problem include Hamilton Park, Victoria Park, Galmington Playing Fields and Taunton Green.

Sunday League referee and responsible dog owner Michael Overd, who lives near Victoria Park, said: "It's horrendous - I make sure I clear up after my dogs.

"Archbishop Cranmer Primary School is near the park, and you often see mothers and children having to deal with it.

"If a football player went in it with an open cut it could be dangerous, and if the player protested the match could be abandoned.

"I have to take plastic bags to matches for the pitch inspection. Why not have zero tolerance policy on this?"

For the full story, see this week's (January 16) Somerset County Gazette.