SHE comes across as an unlikely vigilante.

But maths teacher Maria Smith has gone to war with dog-owners in Clayton West .

She is urging dog-walkers to clean up after their pets, owing to horrible amounts of dog mess on the streets.

To make her point she has taken to highlighting piles of dog faeces with chalk circles and frowning faces.

And she is urging others in the village to get involved.

Maria said: “I am a mathematics teacher at Manchester College and would like to share ideas about how to deal with those who do not clean up after their dogs.

“Our village, especially its centre and around the school, suffers from irresponsible dog owners.

“I adapted someone else’s idea to circle ‘poo’ with a piece of chalk – I also add discouraging messages.

“There was a campaign organised by Kayes First School in 2012, when primary school children created posters on this issue and put them outside the school.

“In my opinion it is disgrace when people not only make their own neighbourhood filthy, but also show this type of behaviour to the future generation.’’

The idea has echoes of the infamous Yellow Pimpernel, who toured the streets of Huddersfield spraying yellow paint around potholes in the roads.

The council received 1,020 complaints in total from April 2012 to the start of June 2013.

New measures introduced last October by Kirklees Council mean owners who fail to control their dogs in Huddersfield’s parks, streets and other public areas could soon be hit with a £1,000 fine.

Under the Dog Control orders, owners must keep their dogs on leads while on public roads and pavements and inside council owned cemeteries, allotments and bowling greens.

They are also are banned from council-run children’s play areas, skate parks, tennis courts and multi-use gaming areas (MUGAs), and many schools.

A council spokesman said: “Dog fouling continues to be a major problem across Kirklees and it cannot be tackled without the help of local residents.

“Owners should always clean up after their pets as failure to do so is irresponsible, anti-social and extremely unhygienic – and it is also an offence.

“Last year, in response to growing public concern, the council introduced dog control orders so that dogs should be kept on a lead in certain areas of public parks and should not be allowed in other areas, such as children’s playgrounds.

“We are continuing to do all we can to tackle the minority of dog owners who do not act responsibly.

“People within communities can also provide the council with information, helping us to identify the culprits so that action can be taken.”

To report someone who has been witnessed not cleaning up after their dog contact dog.wardens@kirklees.gov.uk