ONLY three tickets have been issued to poo pest owners who haven't picked up after their dogs this year.

The local authority-funded Community Action Team have taken over responsibility for policing parks and streets after a failed two-year pilot with a private patrol firm.

But their performance is way down on Scottish Borders Council's original wardens who averaged around 50 tickets a year before they were disbanded in 2014.

Last year contractors 3G managed to issue five on-the-spot tickets during 2017/18 for dog fouling - of which only one was paid - during patrols in Hawick, Peebles, Denholm and Galashiels.

The previous year, the Yorkshire-based company handed out 14 fines for failure to pick up, with six being paid.

Dog fouling remains one of the biggest blights in communities across the Borders.

And councillors are regularly hounded over a need for action.

Prior to 3GS taking over, Police Scotland issued 10 tickets over a two-year period.

The SBC wardens service, which was dropped due to budget cuts in 2014, issued 53 dog fouling tickets in 2011/12 - of which 22 were paid - 67 tickets in 2012/13 - of which 21 were paid - and 22 tickets in their final year.