Reader cries foul over outdated sign

Date published: 12 March 2010

DOG walkers could be forgiven a double take at this notice in Shaw — which appears to be 36 years out-of-date.

The sign in Milnrow Road warns that anyone who allows a dog to foul a public highway is liable to a penalty.

But it says it is enforcing a Lancashire County Council law, while the £20 maximum fine is only a quarter of the current £80 on-the-spot charge if owners fail to clean up mess left by their pets.

This is reduced to £50 if paid within 10 days, but anyone who fails to pay could face court costs of up to £1,000.

The administrative county of Lancashire was abolished in 1974 when boundary changes took Manchester and surrounding conurbations out of Lancashire to form Greater Manchester under the Local Government Act 1972.

This suggests the sign has weathered at least four decades without anyone noticing it is out of date.

It was spotted by eagle-eyed Evening Chronicle reader Glenys Chapman, from Shaw.

She said: “It’s very interesting as we are not Lancashire County Council and the fine for dog fouling is certainly more than £20 these days.”