Walking the dog has become one of the few opportunities to get outside for some fresh air during lockdown, but it has come at a cost.

A Carlisle rubbish collection company says that dog poo litter is up 200 per cent, a clear indicator that not all dog owners are cleaning up after their pups.

Just as bad are those who bag the poo, and them dump the bag in the street or up a tree.

Divert.co.uk who provide dog poo litter removal for councils and private landowners are alarmed by this increase and the implications this could have for public health and are calling on irresponsible owners to pick up after their dogs.

"It is disgusting to see that some dog owners are failing to pick up after their pets, when it's an offence and the waste can lead to serious illness," said Divert.co.uk spokesman Mark Hall.

"There is more poo than people on the streets of Carlisle right now."