A GIANT stuffed dog sitting on a toilet has been causing a stir in Marden near Devizes. The dog, nicknamed John, appeared on the grass verge by the side of the road in the main street through the village.

John also has a roll of toilet tissue handy and to stop him getting bored he is reading a copy of Horse and Hound magazine.

John, apparently a St Bernard, appeared in response to signs put up by resident Elizabeth Woolley after she found a considerable amount of dog mess on the verge.

Mrs Woolley, a dog owner and mother of two sons, said: "When I cut the grass on the verge alongside the road there were piles of dog mess. It was absolutely disgusting. You could not even compost it.

"People tend to walk on the verge and I was concerned about them coming into contact with it, particularly children. Dog fouling has been particularly bad this year.

"I made laminated signs asking for dogs to refrain from using the verge as a toilet.

"Soon after the signs went up the stuffed dog appeared complete with a portable loo. It's very realistic and very funny.

"Since attention has been drawn to dog fouling there has been no dog mess in the verge."

The dog and the toilet was made at Marden Grange Stables by Chirton resident Gerald Lanfear.

Mark Carpenter of Marden Grange Stables said: "It was just a joke and everybody has found it funny. We've even had motorists stop to take photographs of it."

However, after suffering several downpours of rain John has since been moved to a new home.