A CRACKDOWN has been launched on littering and dog fouling in Northwich.

Cheshire West and Chester Council's (CWAC) regulatory services team are patrolling the town and giving out £75 fixed penalty notices to anyone caught committing the offences.

The start of the enforcement patrols were planned to coincide with the Give and Gain Day coordinated by Northwich Town Council, in which volunteers cleared human excrement, drugs paraphernalia and hundreds of bags of rubbish from an area between Royle Street and Greenall Road.

Cllr Mark Henesy, CWAC's cabinet member for environment and community, said: “The regulatory services team continues to target the issues our residents feel most strongly about: dropping littering and not picking up after your dog.

“We now have a full schedule of enforcement patrols planned across the borough and will issue fixed penalty notices to thoughtless individuals who spoil the environment for everyone else.”

The increase in enforcement activity started in west Cheshire in December and to date 60 fixed penalty notices have been issued.

If full payment is not received within 14 days, court proceedings will begin.

A total of 45 litter bins are available in Northwich town centre.

Cleaning up litter costs CWAC £120,000 a year, or £10,000 each month.