(Northumberland National Park Aut via SWNS)
By Adam Dutton
Fuming locals and park rangers have blasted “lazy” dog owners for covering Hadrian’s Wall with used dog poop bags.
Increasing numbers of filled plastic poop bags have been found wedged inside the cracks of the famous 1,900-year-old stone wall.
The Emperor Hadrian ordered the building of the 73-mile-long structure during a visit to Britain in AD 122.
It has stood for almost 2,000 years, but is now under threat from dog owners who use the wall as a makeshift poop bin.
Locals living near the wall in Northumberland have slammed pet owners for “ruining a national landmark.”
Walker James Connell, 40, said: “I was shocked by the state of sections of the wall over the Easter weekend.
“I counted at least 10 different colored dog poop bags stuffed inside the wall.
“It’s just not acceptable that a national landmark should be ruined by irresponsible dog owners.”
(Northumberland National Park Aut via SWNS)
Fellow walker Jane Turnbull, 30, from nearby Haltwhistle, said: “Dog walkers are welcome to enjoy the countryside and the wall as much as anyone else but show some respect.
“They’d be the first to moan if parents littered the wall with baby’s diapers.
“I think more needs to be done to protect the wall and educate the few moronic dog owners who spoil it for everybody else."
The wall is a UNESCO World Heritage site and attracts more than 750,000 visitors each year.
Northumberland National Park rangers are also urging dog owners to dispose of dog waste responsibly.
Head ranger Margaret Anderson told the BBC: "It's a real sense of frustration, we have this amazing structure here which so many people want to come and enjoy.
"For somebody to think it's acceptable to wedge poop bags into a UNESCO World Heritage site, well actually it makes you quite sad.
"The last thing we want are more and more structures along here.
"And let's face it, it's really not hard to carry your poop bag, you can get little pouches to put it in, pop it in your pocket or your backpack until you get somewhere where you can dispose of it."
Tony Gates, the outgoing CEO of the Northumberland National Park Authority, added: “I can't get my head around it.
"I mean you come to see this wonderful view, this amazing piece of history, would it look the same if every 50m or so there's a poop bag hanging out of it?
"I don't think so."
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