IT is not only in town that dog owners and their pets are a problem.

Our daily walk to buy the newspaper takes us through a large field with a right of way and along tracks. Many dog owners don't feel the need to pick up after their dogs. But that is not the only problem.

Three times in the last two days my husband and I have been attacked by dogs who were with their owners but not on the lead. I say attacked because that is what it is like.

The owners would probably say they were just being friendly, but when a dog runs at you full pelt and hurls itself at you it doesn't seem very friendly.

I dread to think what would have happened if our grandchildren had been with us.

We had no apologies; most of the time the owners were trying very ineffectively to bring the dogs to heel. And there lies the problem: the owners cannot control their pets.

So dog owners of Winterslow and elsewhere be warned: we shall now be going for our walks armed with large, stout sticks.

Valerie Keeling

Winterslow