Pedestrians in Cheltenham have been playing an impromptu version of hopscotch since the local council ordered street cleaners to leave dog mess where they find it.

Instead, the cleaners have been instructed to call a dog warden, who arrives with an aerosol and sprays a red circle around the mess. If it is still in situ a week later, a yellow circle is added and, after a further week, a white one.

Only when it has been left for two weeks may it be cleaned away.

The intention of colour coding the dog poo is to shame owners into clearing it up themselves. Cheltenham Borough Council claims that the scheme is working and that the amount of dogs’ mess left to litter the streets has declined.

The scheme was introduced last month as part of a wide-ranging crackdown on irresponsible dog owners. Dog mess may be reported to the council by the public and the dog warden keeps a sharp eye out for mess while on patrol.

Jacqui Mills, of the local antilitter group, Don’t Rubbish Cheltenham, said: “The wardens do a great job, but this idea isn’t working. People need to make sure they report dog walkers.

“It is said to be a deterrent. It may be for some less hardcore offenders if they think someone’s watching. But some people will ignore this. It’s not enough. We need them to act more responsibly.”

Jamie Anning, 22, a sales rep, is among sceptics who claim that the only benefit of the rings is to make the poo easier to see and therefore avoid.

He said: “Have they not thought about the health risks of leaving this mess out in the open? Some of the pavements look like a weird dirty protest in the Tate Gallery.

“And I dread to think what the smell will be like in the summer, as it gets even hotter, with all the poop lying around. I can understand the need to tackle this problem but these people need their heads examined.”

But according to Rob Garnham, council cabinet member for the environment, there had been a drop in fouling since marking was introduced.

He said: “The spraying of dog mess is just one of several measures we are using and we want to shame owners into cleaning up their act. It is helping to control the problem.”

Rob Bell, assistant director for environmental maintenance at Cheltenham Borough Council, also claimed that the campaign was a success.

He said: “We highlight dog mess in some areas to alert owners to the fact that we are aware an offence is taking place and are patrolling.

“At the same time we put up warning signs. The combination has proved to be a successful deterrent, resulting in a significant improvement to street cleanliness.”

The council recently adopted bylaws that make it an offence for owners not to clean up after their dog. The maximum penalty is a £500 fine but none has so far been imposed.

Doreen Garland-Jones, vice-chairman of the Tidy Cheltenham Group, said: “I thought, ‘My God what a daft idea’ when I first heard it, but you’ve got to try something.”

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