AN eight-year-old Gaunless Valley boy’s campaign against dog fouling, speeding and litter has earned high praise from county bosses.
Max Corner was so dismayed by others’ inconsiderate actions in the area around his home near Lynesack that he took it upon himself to start putting up hand-drawn posters on lampposts in the area. The Cockfield Primary School pupil said he noticed the problem while walking his own dog and riding his bike along Grewburn Lane when he lives.
He added: “I keep on seeing dog poos all over the floor. I see them everywhere. I went down there [toward Lynesack] and there is litter in the field. And it is everywhere.”
He added that he and his friends are also afraid to ride their bikes in the area because of the speed that people drive down the lane in front of their homes. Off his own bat, the youngster started drawing up posters addressing his four main concerns – dog fouling, litter, speeding and animals being run over.
Over the space of a weekend he had drawn, and put up, 15 posters. His parents knew nothing of his campaign until neighbours came round their house to congratulate Max on his effort.
His mum, Katrina, said: “I didn’t know he was doing it until I came back from work. At first I thought he would get wrong for it.
“He is a proper little helper is Max. If he sees something that needs doing he has to do it right there and then. When he gets something in his head he is ‘I must do something’.”
Some of the posters had to be taken down after a spell of bad weather, but this has not deterred Max who has roped in the help of his grandmother and a neighbour to have his posters photocopied and laminated. In the coming days he hopes to have 41 posters put up around his home.
His effort has won him praise from Durham County Council’s head of environment, Oliver Sherratt, who said: “We’re really impressed by Max’s passion for the environment and where he lives and we truly share his feelings about those who drop litter, don’t pick up after their dog or speed through our towns and villages.
“We applaud Max’s desire to do something about it which is all the more impressive given his tender years. He really is a great example to everyone and we would love to work with him.”
County councillor Heather Smith added: “Well done to Max for wanting to do something proactive about dog fouling, litter and speeding, which are issues that affect everyone.”
