CHILDREN as young as five are being exposed to potentially nasty stomach bugs, because irresponsible dog owners are refusing to clean up after their pets, say local sports coaches.

Persistent dog fouling at the Observatory Ground in Hakin, home of Milford Haven RFC and the club’s Under-9s ‘minis’ section, has prompted coaches to issue a warning to lazy dog walkers.

Local town councillor Mathew Rickard, who acts as the minis’ honorary secretary and team manager, said: “We have children as young as five who train on the grounds.

“They have younger siblings who come and watch them train and play.

“Dog mess is not only unpleasant in smell and sight but can also make people ill.”

A recent incident, in which a man was witnessed letting his dog defecate in the middle of the field, and refused to clean up after his pet despite requests from coaches, highlighted the severity of the issue, said Cllr Rickard.

“We tried to discuss with him the dangers that dog fouling poses to children and adults, especially in this situation where the grass is used both for rugby and football very frequently all year round,” he said.

In 2014, a member of the youth team contracted campylobacter – a bacterial infection that causes stomach cramping diarrhoea and sickness.

Cllr Rickard said the child’s mother had been told by health experts that the pitch could well have been the source of infection.

“Even when mess is collected, the fact it has touched the grass means the grass has become contaminated,” said Cllr Rickard.

He said coaches and parents were now being forced to do a ‘poo run’ before every game, to check the field for mess.

“It is a messy and stomach-churning task,” he said.

Carolyn Prynn, whose two sons play rugby on the field, said dog waste bins were needed to combat the problem.

“It’s been ongoing for a long time,” she said. “Before nearly every match the players have to walk the field to check it.

“People just throw it in the hedge or leave it on the field, even though they know it’s a playing field for kids.”

As private ground, the club is not intended for dog walkers, and anyone found to be letting their dog foul there can be fined up to £75.

Failure to pay can also result in prosecution in the Magistrates Courts, where a maximum fine of £1,000 may be applied.

A spokesman for Pembrokeshire County Council said the man spotted letting his dog foul had now been traced, and had been served a ticket by the local Neighbourhood Policing Team, and the council’s dog warden.

“We take complaints relating to fouling very seriously and investigate all complaints as fully as possible,” the spokesman added.