Hero cleans up stockpile of 321 dog mess bags from Fife beauty spot

Is this Fife’s worst spot for dog mess?
Ian Gourlay took matters into his own hands - with gloves and bin bags.Ian Gourlay took matters into his own hands - with gloves and bin bags.
Ian Gourlay took matters into his own hands - with gloves and bin bags.

One resident was so angry about the growing number of dog poo bags thrown into the bushes at a Kirkcaldy beauty spot that he picked up 321 bags from a 20-yard at the side of a path.

Kirkcaldy man Ian Gourlay (69) regularly walks his dog down at Pathhead Sands in Kirkcaldy, and was appalled to see that someone had been stockpiling full bags of dog mess.

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One small ten-foot square patch underneath a tree had as many as 170 bags alone, which is close to a designated picnic area.

However, after Ian heroically took gloves and bin bags down to clean up the mess, he spotted more bags of dog poo had appeared the following day!

Ian said: “I was shocked. I pass it and I rant about it every day I walk my dog down there. I took a couple of black bin bags because I wasn’t sure if one would take the weight.

“I started picking them up, and there was about 170 bags in there.

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“There’s a lot of other waste that I decided not to pick up, that may have been burst out of bags by seagulls, but there are other parts along the route that I haven’t touched because I just thought this was the worst bit.

“It’s been like that for a long time, and I think recently I’ve seen it just getting a few fresher bags. I think it’s one or two people.

“After I cleaned it all up I went down and passed it, and there was another poo bag thrown in, and then another one the next day.

“They’re actually picking their dog’s poo up, carrying it until they reach that wooded area then throwing them in. Beggar’s belief.

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“I pinned a note to the tree which was basically a polite notice telling the person responsible to use the bins as it’s unfair.

“There’s 12 or 13 bins in a circular area so it’s impossible for someone to walk down there without passing a bin. The nearest one’s only about 30 yards away

“I think it’s just irresponsible people.

“It makes me look at people and think ‘is it you?’ They may be passing me and thinking it’s me.

“People think it’s ok to leave dog mess on the grass because it’s not on the path, but they never think wee kids might come down picnicing and run into dog poo.

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“I’ve got great grandchildren who would maybe use the area and I don’t want them running into the trees to pick their ball up and come out covered in muck.

“I really thought to myself ‘why would somebody do this?’ I’ve watched programmes about hoarders and I think this is someone who’s wanting to see how big a pile they can make.

“If I’ve spoiled somebody’s hard work I’ll be quite happy.”

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