MORE than 180 fines were dished out in a crackdown on dog-foulers and litterbugs in Southampton over the past 12 months.

The campaign to clean up the city's parks and streets, launched in September 2000, has been hailed a success.

So many fixed £25 penalty tickets were issued in the last year by the city council's enforcement team, working with the dog warden, that Southampton is now one of the top ten local authorities in the country for handing out fines to people dropping rubbish.

Eleven people have also been successfully prosecuted in court as part of the council's "three strikes and you're out" policy over a 12-month period.

The largest fine for dog-fouling or carelessly discarding litter this year was £350.

Enforcement team officer Roy Russel said: "The message is getting across but people still need to learn not to throw litter, as well as pick up after their dogs, then eventually Southampton will be a cleaner city."

Environment chief Councillor Richard Williams said: "Most people do take responsibility for their litter and their dogs, but a few can spoil the look of the city very quickly.

"The enforcement team have done a great job in showing that Southampton will not tolerate such irresponsible behaviour."

When the crackdown was launched, residents placed a flag by each piece of litter or dog mess over a 100m square in Riverside Park, Bitterne - one of the city's worst "grot spots" - and more than 50 flags were needed.

The flagging-up exercise one year later saw just seven flags raised.

Liz Woodford, of Bitterne Park Residents' Association, said: "We've noticed a difference and seen more people using the dog waste and litter bins.

"Riverside Park and the surrounding area is much cleaner."