Council electricians have turned up their noses at servicing street lights which have dog mess bins tied to their lampposts.

They have refused to work beneath the boxes, leading to a spat between North Yorkshire County Council and Craven District Council.

County bosses say the containers flout health and safety regulation because of their positioning and have told Craven it must attach them to non-illuminated signs instead.

So the district council, which has more than 100 dog waste bins throughout the district, is moving them.

Dog owner and Craven Council deputy leader Paul English said: "I can understand it's not nice to work under a container, but it's very frustrating for us in Craven. We are trying to improve the situation about dog muck and another authority is undermining us.

"The containers are remaining in the depot until we can find more suitable places for them."

He said the Council was trying to encourage people to clean up after their pets by offering free dog soil bags at council offices and post offices.

The Council is also employing a second dog warden and has

introduced a fixed penalty fine of £50 for people caught allowing their pets to foul public places.

A North Yorkshire County

Council spokesman said the bins had been removed on Health and Safety grounds.

He said Craven Council had been asked originally not to put them on lamp standards that needed electrical maintenance.

A spokesman for Craven District Council said they accepted the situation and were taking steps to re-site the bins in more appropriate and less problematic places.