DISGUSTED islanders are calling for action to clear up dog mess and litter they say is turning Canvey seafront into a “health hazard”.

The calls have come from members of the Walk for Life group, who meet every Wednesday for a healthy seafront walk.

Walkers are urging Castle Point Council to clean up the area and cut back the overgrown weeds along the seafront.

The group has been taking pictures to highlight the deterioration of the area over the past few months and wants to make sure it is cleared before the winter, when the council only employs one cleaner, instead of two.

George Beecham, 83, one of the group’s organisers, said: “It should be called a hazard walk.

“It’s disgusting down there.

“We have been going for 11 years, but this past year is the worst I have ever seen it. There is dog mess everywhere.”

Fellow walker Michael Machin has written to several councillors complaining the area is unsightly and asking why it has not been kept clean.

A council spokesman said its officials often found it difficult to track down dog owners who let their pets foul the pavements.

She added: “Unfortunately, the seawall is affected by antisocial behaviour such as dog fouling, littering and graffiti.

“Council officers are authorised to serve fixed penalty notices for littering and dog fouling, but this is not always easy.

“They need to be in the right place at the right time to catch the culprits.

“However, the council will continue, where possible, to act against antisocial behaviour.”

She added it was considering an initiative to improve the appearance of the seawall over the winter, getting rid of the weeds.