A YATTON couple has been ordered to pay £1,250 in fines and costs after letting their dogs bark.

A YATTON couple has been ordered to pay £1,250 in fines and costs after letting their dogs bark.

Andrew and Susan Watts, of Chescombe Road, pleaded guilty by post to three offences of failing to comply with a noise abatement notice at North Somerset Magistrates Court on Friday.

The prosecution was brought by North Somerset Council.

The court heard that the council had received several complaints over a considerable period of time of noise from barking dogs. As a result, warning letters were sent to Mr and Mrs Watts advising them to take steps to remedy the situation.

Between April 13 and May 16 this year council officers were called out to Chescombe Road on four occasions following complaints of dogs barking.

On the first occasion the officer monitored the number of barks coming from the property and counted 1,348 over a 40-minute period.

In view of the fact that warning letters had previously been sent, an abatement notice was served that day.

Six days later the officer was called out again and this time counted 1,303 barks over a 32-minute period.

The magistrates fined Mr and Mrs Watts £50 each for each of the three offences and ordered them to pay £475 each towards the council's costs.