Ashby de la Zouch Town Council has reinstated the ban on dogs from the town's cemetery.

This follows a number of occasions where they have been 'fouling on graves'.

Monday's meeting of the council's Parks & Cemetery Committee were 'spared the full details' - but it was made clear the problem was a serious one that needed to be stopped.

Committee chair, Cllr Liz Parle said: "It's a real shame, but there are plenty of pictures of graves being fouled.

"It's difficult for the ground staff where they're strimming the area.

"We have tried drawing attention to this by telling people to keep their dogs on a lead.

"But there are lots of people exercising their dogs in the graveyard - and it's not on.

"It means no dogs at all, which is what it was before the pandemic.

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"This is in the rules and regulations and it was relaxed during the pandemic as people were getting out and about."

Town Clerk Jack Farghar confirmed the rules of the cemetery.

He said: "Dogs, other than recognised assistant dogs, are not permitted within the cemetery grounds."

Signs are to be put up at the cemetery reminding people of the reinstated banning.

Cllr Parle added: "We'll have to have signs which say 'No Dogs Allowed' - and people did observe that before.

"I suppose there'll be a time when people don't - or they get grumpy about it.

"It's the same as the allotments, people are asked to put their dog on a lead - and some people don't.

"Most people do that."

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The committee was told that the ban would come into play 'forthwith' and the signs advising dog walkers would be up as soon as possible.