Oswestry School closes fields over dog fouling
A Shropshire school will close its public playing fields due to dog owners failing to pick up their pets' mess.
Education leaders at Oswestry School today confirmed they will shut off access to Maes-y-Llan playing fields amid concerns for pupil safety.
Headteacher Julian Noad said the decision was a "shame" but that pupil and staff safety was a priority.
"Sadly it's time for a clampdown on public use. This has been going on for quite some time now and it just can't carry on. It is a danger to children's health, but not only our children: we have children visiting from other schools playing matches here," he said.
"It's a shame because it is the minority. We do have so many considerate and sensible people that walk their dogs here but we have to put pupil and staff safety first."
Mr Noad stressed there is a burden of demonstrating a duty of care to pupils.
"Oswestry School need to ensure that they are not exposing their pupils to risks. This means that allowing unsupervised access to the school's premises will no longer be acceptable," he said.
Mr Noad said in recent months there had been a growing number of occurrences of dog waste being left on the children's play area.
He said: "Alongside this come the risks associated with toxicara canis – a round worm often found in canine faeces which can cause blindness.
"Any contact with faeces puts the school's staff and pupils at risk and that staff have to deal with this on a daily basis is unacceptable."
Mr Noad said, to add to the frustration, staff were regularly having to remove plastic bags by hand containing dog mess.
Public use of the fields will change from April 5.
The headteacher also said pupils had been knocked over by dogs, and that staff and pupils had to contend with them interfering with games sessions and matches.
He stressed that the school and fee-paying parents were having to foot the bill for wear and tear.
"The playing surfaces and their environs are expensive to maintain with heavy public use causing damage, wear and tear as well as litter. The school, and its fee-paying parents, must bear this cost."
Although the fields will be closed, the public will still be able to use the existing footpath – between the gate from Penylan Lane and another to Trefonen Road – opposite Broomhall Lane.
The footpath will be clearly marked and members of the public will be expected to keep to the path alone.
There will also be signage reminding owners to keep their dogs on leads and on the path.
