I was walking in Shotley Gate this afternoon and up ahead of me was a lady walking her dog. The dog stopped on the grass verge at the side of the road to do its business, whereupon the lady pulled a small plastic bag from her pocket, waited for her pooch to finish, then collected its little present in the bag and secured it neatly with a bow. Another responsible local citizen, I thought, cleaning up after her dog. I then watched as the lady gently tossed the bag into a nearby patch of long grass, and walked on.

Now, I admit I've never owned a dog, so I may not be entirely au fait with the minutiae of canine toilet training, but I was under the impression you were meant to take the bag home with you? I'm not saying it's stupid to take a piece or organic matter and seal it in a plastic bag which will take 20 years to biodegrade on that grass verge, but... oh sorry, that's exactly what I'm saying.

In my view, the only good reason for sealing a doggy poo in a bag and not taking it home, is if it's a paper bag which you plan to place on someone's doorstep, set light to, ring the bell, and run off, safe in the knowledge that the occupant will emerge and stamp on the bag to put it out. Which is obviously something I've never done, and know nothing about. I only mention it for the sake of balanced reporting.