IRRESPONSIBLE dog owners have been blasted after nearly 50 bags of mess were found abandoned within 500 metres at a Lake District beauty spot.

Forty seven bags of dog faeces were discovered hung up on trees, stuffed into walls and dumped on the path at the picturesque White Moss Wood near Grasmere by couple Claire and Alec McCarthy.

The mess has been met with widespread condemnation and has sparked a debate over whether bins should be installed around the Lakes.

However, yesterday the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) said they had no intention of putting bins in the open countryside.

"I cannot believe that in such a short space there were so many bags," said Mrs McCarthy, 34, who runs the Rattle Gill Cafe in Ambleside with her husband. "People buy these bio-degradable poo bags but the poo will just bio-degrade if you leave it. It's pointless leaving it in a tree.

"If you see someone leaving a bag challenge them and do not turn a blind eye to it - something has to be done. It just seems ridiculous there are no bins."

Their calls for action were echoed by Andy Caple, who regularly picks up litter and dog dirt on Wansfell Pike, a popular walking route near Ambleside.

The 63-year-old said: "I do it because Wansfell is as important to Ambleside as St Paul's Cathedral is to London."

A spokesman for Cumbria Tourism labelled it a 'serious issue', adding: "More dog waste bins, better information and enforcement needs to be addressed by local authorities, national parks and the appropriate land owners.’’

But the LDNPA, which owns White Moss Wood, said bins would spoil the 'natural environment of the woods'.

Area ranger Graham Standring branded dog mess 'totally unacceptable' and said there needs to be a 'shift in people's behaviour'.

"We could put bins in but our experience shows that simply attracts more litter that can end up around the bins and look untidy," he said. "By all means enjoy the woods and open access land, but please respect the environment and take your litter and dog waste home with you."

Kennel Club Secretary Caroline Kisko said a lack of bins was no excuse and that the dumping of bags was 'not in line with responsible dog ownership'.

"While the onus for clearing up after a dog falls firmly with its owner, if there is a particular problem in certain areas it would be advisable for the local authority to look at whether they may be able to help solve the problem by placing bins in the area," she added.

South Lakeland District Council is responsible for enforcing dog fouling fines. Fixed penalty notices of £75 can be handed out while persistent offenders can be taken to court and face a fine of up to £1,000.

A spokesman for SLDC said it was not possible to have officers patrolling areas and encouraged the public to report problem sites.

"If we are made aware of a dog fouling or litter issue in a particular area we can look to carry out some awareness raising and increase enforcement patrols," he said.

Michael Johnson, clerk of Lakes Parish Council, said its handyman scours for dog dirt at White Moss Woods once a month and added he would like to see better enforcement to discourage owners from not cleaning up after their pets.

"I would like to see wardens stopping dog owners and asking them to produce bags to ensure they were intending to pick up after their dogs," he said.

"If they didn't have one I would give them a warning letter and a fine if they are caught without one again."

Sarah Edwards, who runs MuttMate, a social media network for dog owners from her home in New Hutton, said if people were worried about the smell from taking mess home with them in their car to hang the bags on the back windscreen wipers instead.

Call 0845 050 4434 to report incidents.