FED up residents have created a special entry for a traditional Christmas Tree Festival... adorning a spruce with dog poo bags alongside festive baubles.

Essex-based Dogfoul.org are taking part in the Burnham Christmas Tree Festival this year and have created their own entry - a Christmas tree decorated with fake dog poo parcels.

The organisation was set up with the aim of highlighting the issue of dog fouling across England.

Director Andrew, who hails from South Woodham Ferrers, is a keen runner and was fed up with seeing dog mess and poo bags in his local park and open spaces.

He said: “Dog fouling impacts us all, it affects our environment, our health and negatively impacts our enjoyment of local places.”

Dog fouling is a particular issue in Burnham, with residents regularly raising the issue on social media.

Riverside walks are a particular area of concern and business owners are becoming fed up with the problem.

Claire Payne from Bistro on the Quay said her staff often have to clear up dog poo in front of the restaurant and they were not the only business affected by it.

She said: “When Dogfoul.org said that they were supporting our local initiative, I jumped at the chance to get them onboard to help raise awareness of the dog fouling problem in Burnham.”.

According to Keep Britain Tidy, dog fouling is one of the most common causes of complaints to councils and four out of ten people consider it a problem in their local area.

Andrew added: “It’s always irritated me.

“I would be out running and see bags full of poop hanging from trees, in bushes, on riverbanks, or piles of dog mess in the middle of a path.

“Even more annoying, you knew the irresponsible dog owners were just getting away with it - there was literally no deterrent.”

It was during a country run close to his home Andrew had his light bulb moment and the idea for dogfoul.org was born.

“I was running in a really beautiful area in South Woodham which is bordered by the River Crouch on one side, and sheep pasture on the other,” he said.

“And yet, in this most scenic, natural surroundings there was dog mess and poop bags everywhere.

“Then it struck me. I knew then that people power and social media could provide a solution.”

The tree can be seen outside Bistro on the Quay and the United Reformed Church, in Station Road, in the run up to December 25.