Police officers and South Hams District Council officers will be working together to tackle the growing problems of graffiti and dog fouling across the district.

The South Hams is a fantastic place to live and work with its miles of glorious beaches, acres of beautiful countryside and plenty of interesting towns and villages to explore.

Now a joint working agreement between Devon and Cornwall Police Authority and SHDC aims to help preserve the unique character of the South Hams.

Graffiti is becoming more widespread in some areas of the South Hams. Not only does it damage property, it can also be an eyesore and often the property owner is left with the expense of clearing up afterwards.

Bryan Carson, SHDC: "It is important to encourage every dog owner to do the right thing and ensure their pet leaves nothing behind other than their footprints."

South Hams Council Street Scene officers will be gathering photographic evidence of the graffiti which will then be used on the ‘Name That Tag’ poster campaign throughout the South Hams.

Members of the public who can help identify the culprits will be asked to call Crimestoppers, in confidence, with any information which could help the police deal with the offenders.

Graffiti is considered to be an offence of criminal damage. The police can issue a fixed penalty notice of £75 or the offence can be dealt with through the courts.

Dog owners who fail to clean up after their dog are also being targeted in another joint initiative between the police and SHDC.

Police Community Support officers will now be able to issue £50 fixed penalty notices to those anti-social persons who fail to clear up their dog’s mess. Fixed penalties can be issued to anyone above the age of criminal responsibility which is ten years old. A common sense view will taken and each case judged on its own merits. Persons who fail to pay the fixed penalty notice will be summons to the magistrate’s court where much higher fines can be imposed.

Responsible dog owners who clean up after their pets can put the bagged waste into dog litter bins. If necessary it can be put into ordinary litter bins but dog owners are asked to think of the council staff who empty these bins and to double wrap the dog excrement.

Councillor Bryan Carson, executive member with responsibility for a clean environment, welcomed the schemes.

He said: "Most dog owners take their responsibilities seriously and clean up after their pet but there are a few who spoil things for other people. It is important to encourage every dog owner to do the right thing and ensure their pet leaves nothing behind other than their footprints."

Anyone with information on offences of graffiti/tags or any other crime can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.