A total of 504 piles of dog waste were found and sprayed bright orange in just 40 minutes at a popular beauty spot.

The tally was recorded at Runfold Ridge, near Farnham, as part of a campaign encouraging responsible dog ownership.

Countryside Ranger Matt Bennett joined 10 children from local Hive Helpers Youth Group to highlight the scale of the problem.

Mr Bennett manages the Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) on behalf of the Land Trust, which provides recreational space for residents and visitors while helping to reduce pressure on protected wildlife sites.

But dog waste is one of the biggest issues facing the site.

It contains high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, which can over-fertilise the ground and encourage nutrient-loving grasses to outcompete native wildflowers. This is particularly problematic as one of the Ridge’s major projects is restoring former arable land to species-rich chalk grassland.

Mr Bennett said: “At Runfold Ridge, every year I cut and collect all the grass, and remove the grass away from the site, because the grass has a real high nutrient content. Having nutrients on the ground lets grass grow, but not the wildflowers.

“The dog poo also has this high nutrient level, and so it doesn't help with trying to restore a nice wildflower grassland.”

The group used eco-friendly temporary orange paint during the event on Wednesday, September 9, to make the waste highly visible to visitors.

Mr Bennett said the aim was not to shame dog owners, but to raise awareness.

“The hope is that the general member of the public will see all these bright orange dots, and think, ‘Oh, something's wrong here,’ and just be more aware. It's more of an awareness campaign.”

The initiative could become an annual event, allowing the team to monitor whether the amount of dog waste decreases.

“They did the count for me, and I'd like to make it with them annual,” said Mr Bennett. “The plan would be to do this annually to see if we do get a decrease.”