DOG owners in Helensburgh are being urged to take their pets' waste home with them and not to leave it in a poo bin after council services were cut back because of the coronavirus pandemic.

David Lewin, a trustee of the Friends of Duchess Wood, told the Advertiser that the group understands dog waste bins are not being emptied as Argyll and Bute Council grapples with increasing numbers of self-isolating employees and thus with fewer frontline staff – creating a potential health hazard.

The council announced earlier this week that it was suspending collections of household recycling and food waste, and concentrating on only collecting waste meant for landfill.

READ MORE: Argyll and Bute suspends recycling collections and shuts 'civic amenity' sites

All the local authority's civic amenity sites, including the Blackhill facility in Helensburgh, have also been closed for the time being.

Mr Lewin said many people were still using the Duchess Wood for their daily exercise, and added: "The council have to prioritise bin emptying, so food waste and recycling bins aren't being collected, and we understand dog waste bins won't be either.

"Dog waste bins are already starting to overflow and bags are being left outside the bin, creating a potential health hazard."

The wood, Argyll and Bute's only designated local nature reserve, only reopened to the public last month after an eight-month official closure due to "safety issues".

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