DOG owners are being asked to keep their pets off a school field in Portishead.

Pupils and staff at Trinity Primary School are appealing to dog walkers not to exercise their pets in the field, which is open to the public outside school hours.

A sign on the gate prohibits dog walking on the land but school site manager Paul Wilson says it is so small it is being overlooked and there are no signs on the far side of the field.

He said: “It is obviously completely unacceptable to have dogs using a field which is then used by children for school sporting activities. We have to be extremely vigilant and ensure all excrement is removed on a regular basis.”

A North Somerset Council spokesman said: “It is blatantly obvious to anyone with an ounce of common sense that dog poo and children do not mix. Larger signs will probably not make irresponsible dog owners pick up after their pets, but we will look at the sign and access issue.”