New dog walking group sees pooches of all shapes and sizes meet up in Staunton Country Park

Around 25 pooches paraded around Staunton Country Park after their owners signed up to a new community Facebook group called Leigh Park dog walks.

The group was set up by Katie Hillebrandt and Jon Miness who were looking for fellow dog walkers in the area who they could meet up with to socialise and for their dogs to make new friends.

It already has nearly 100 members, and regular walks are being planned after the first event turned out to be such a success, despite how muddy the park was on Saturday.

Dogs of all shapes, ages and sizes turned up with their owners and enjoyed the stroll through the park, with dogs and humans making lots of new friends.

Marc Maran, who helped organise the first meet up and attended with his dog Toffi, said: ‘All the pooches were well behaved and got along while enjoying the fresh air and the mud. I had advised everyone to wear their wellies but I forgot mine and will never be allowed to forget.

‘This is a great new group using Staunton Country Park and is a great way of meeting new friends in the Leigh Park Community.

‘A few members are now meeting up locally around their own neighbourhoods and spreading the word on their walkies.’

Anyone is welcome to go along for the walks, including children, and it is completely free to join. The Facebook group is the best place to keep up with updates, and members share pictures of their precious pooches.

Initial plans are for official meetups to happen once a week on a Saturday at the entrance to Staunton Country Park at 1.30pm, however other plans are in the pipeline to suit when members can make it.

Marc added: ‘Wellingtons are advised. All members take poop bags and used the bins provided leaving the park as we found it.’