Careless dog owners and loutish litterers in Penryn had better look out as the town council's voluntary community warden went on his first patrol yesterday.

Larry Peters spent the morning out in the town with members of Cornwall Council's dog welfare and enforcement team and local PCSO Chris Braddon, checking the town for dog mess or rubbish.

Now he has been appointed to the post, Larry will be patrolling the streets to check they are kept clear, and will be able to issue fines of between £80 and £1,000 to anyone caught littering, failing to clear up after their dog, or flyposting.

He said: "I walk through the [Glasney] valley every day. I want to warn people, I'm not into fining them I just want to get people to pick their mess up. I just want to teach people.

"When they see me going around, it's going to be a big difference.

He said of his first patrol: "It was clearer than it's ever been. I walk with the dogs in the valley quite a bit and it was quite clean, we didn't see any dog owners today, and very little dog mess. I was pleasantly surprised."

He added that while PCSO Braddon also patrols the streets of Penryn, "I walk through the town and the valley every day."

Mark Snowdon, mayor of Penryn, said: "It's long overdue. We all know what it's been like.

"It can only be a good thing to encourage people to pick up after their dogs and to stop them dropping litter.

"I'm sure it will work, once somebody gets a fine they will be on their guard."