The woman thought she had escaped unnoticed after failing to clear up when her pooch soiled the ground in a residential area of Sunderland.

However, she did not reckon with the CCTV covering the entrance to Peter Hargate's drive outside his house in Drayton Road, Fulwell, where the filthy incident took place.

Mr Hargate, a general manager for security firm 20/20 Vision Systems, spotted the mess when he returned home from work.

"It's disgusting," he said.

"I could have driven it up the driveway, and I've got two foster kids who could have got it on their bikes."

Mr Hargate checked the footage from the CCTV he had installed to cover the cars on his drive, and found that it had captured the dirty deed and the culprit.

"I would dearly like to find out who this person is," said Mr Hargate.
"People who have dogs have got to take responsibility for them.

"She has made a conscious decision, after she has seen the dog do it, to walk away.

"I think we should name and shame."

Mr Hargate has contacted Sunderland Council about the incident, which was sending its clean team round.

Dog owners who do not pick up after their animals face an on-the-spot £50 fine and up to £1,000 if the case goes to court.

In December, a report revealed that Sunderland has one of the toughest dog fouling enforcement schemes in the country, raking in £53,000 in fines since 2003.

The Local Government Association welcomed councils such as Sunderland getting tough on dog-foulers and litterbugs.

Paul Bettison, chairman of its environment board, said: "Councils are using their powers to get tough on the minority of people who spoil the local area for everyone else.

"Fines and on-the-spot penalties help make sure council tax is kept down and the environment protected."