IRRESPONSIBLE dog walkers are kicking-up a stink at a popular South Lakeland beauty spot by leaving their pooches' poo strewn all over the place.

Scout Scar, near Kendal, is littered with plastic bags containing dog faeces as some lazy pet owners prefer to hang the filth on trees or throw it into the undergrowth instead of disposing of it correctly.

The problem has become so bad that a sign has been erected at the site urging people to stop throwing the dog muck into nearby trees.

Local councillor and regular visitor to Scout Scar Jim Bland said: "I have seen where dog walkers have done it. The worst thing you can do is leave it [dog poo] on a tree or the ground because it stays there for weeks and weeks. If people thought about it a little bit more then they wouldn't do it. It's about common decency."

From the famous 'mushroom' viewpoint at the peak of the 771ft hill it is possible to see poo bags hanging from trees below, blighting the otherwise stunning landscape.

Most of the land around Scout Scar is owned by the Bagot family, of Levens Hall and Richard Bagot said: "I see it as littering. It's no different to someone putting a bag of rubbish behind a bush. It is the responsibility of the dog walker to dispose of it correctly."

Now the National Trust is calling for dog walkers to take responsibility for their dogs' mess.

A spokesperson said: "Unfortunately, there are always a minority of people who are prepared to litter the natural environment by not clearing up after their dogs in the right way.

"Dog fouling can have an adverse effect on others and is a risk to health, particularly to young children.

"Randomly discarding dog waste in plastic bags across public areas and local walking routes is not a responsible way of disposal.

"By binning bags or containers of dog mess at home our beautiful landscape remains clean and safe for everyone to enjoy."

An SLDC spokesman said perpetrators could be fined £2,500 and could be brought before magistrates.