I HAVE just found a website that I didn’t know existed set up by our local council, designating our beach in West Kirby as dog-friendly.

I don’t remember any consultation over this.

This beach has always been cleaned in the evenings, over the summer months, and is used by the bucket and spade parade and families as it has the best sand.

It has always been a beach for little children.

The end of the beach near the sand dunes smells, because it has been taken over by dog walkers and is littered with “poo bags.”

There has always been one section of the beach with good sand, free for families.

Until now. As the beach is a Site of Special Scientific Interest it seems ridiculous to encourage dogs to roam free where there are birds gathering to set off on migration or landing to feed.

Was the RSPB consulted over the decision to allow dogs open access to an SSSI site?

Many councils including Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Brighton, Derbyshire, Tyneside and many others, have the courage to say that some areas, including beaches, should be dog-free.

Gradually dog owners have taken over public places in Wirral.

Our town, West Kirby, has a lot of parks, footpaths, beaches, hillside and National Trust land where dogs roam free.

There are miniscule notices in one or two places asking owners to pick up mess but the town’s open public spaces, including the promenade, are used freely by dog owners to let their pets foul.

At a conservative estimate I have found that one public gardens has at least 17,000 dog visits annually – 50 or more on any weekday. No wonder then that it’s filthy with dog mess.

If big cities like London can manage to keep pavements and parks dog free why can’t West Kirby?

Jan Bowen, West Kirby.