Rise in animal litter bags on beaches

Wales' beaches are being blighted by leftover dog mess Credit: ITV News Wales

Piles of dog waste in plastic bags could threaten the health and safety of Welsh beach visitors, according to the latest beach litter data collected by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) in 2011 and published today in its Beachwatch Big Weekend Report.

The charity says poop scooped into bags and left on UK beaches rose over 11% nationally between 2010 and 2011, with Scotland recording the biggest increase - a whopping 71% year on year, whilst Wales saw a rise of almost 18%.

MCS Welsh Projects Officer, Dr Lou Luddington, says the findings reveal good and bad habits.

Despite an increase in poop scoop bags on UK beaches, overall shore litter has dropped by 11% between 2010 and 2011 and in Wales it has dropped by 45%.