I HAVE never had as many suspicious stares as on the afternoon I spent with dog warden Gill Goulden, writes Stephen Bailey.

Not while on patrol with police officers or even when covering drug dealers' court cases.

Gill seemed to take it in her stride as we drove around stray dog hot-spots, mainly in Dallam, Orford and Bewsey.

But the 30-year-old animal lover still asked for her Warrington address to be left out.

"You get the young kids saying you are not having my dog' but most people are alright. I'm sure they have a Tannoy system sometimes though," said Gill, who also appeared on ITV show Dirtbusters.

She can pick up dogs on the streets that are not under control and it costs £50 to free them within three days, £75 within seven, and after that, they can be re-homed.

The fees go back into the budget to help fund the service, and the smoky bacon crisps Gill uses as her secret weapon.

Dogs from less well-off areas like Orford are more streetwise and harder to catch - one dog in Grasmere Avenue seems to know the van by sight and runs off into some flats.

Summer increases the risk of dog attacks. The police call the wardens but the police are needed for prosecutions so there is a need to work better together.

Gill said she gets nipped occasionally' but has never been seriously hurt - she just wants people to do their homework before they buy a dog, so they know how to look after it.