Those trying to clean up a scenic woodland spot were left with a not-so-festive surprise after discovering a tree decked with dog poo instead of baubles.

The picturesque Harrison's Wood in Sprowston opened to the public in 2016 and quickly became a dog-walking hotspot for those in the area as well as a magnet for litterbugs.

But now a tree decorated from head to toe with dog poo bags has angered locals with the organiser of monthly community litter picks describing the poo problem as the "bane of our lives".

Six dog poo bags were found hanging from a tree (Image: Supplied)

"It's utterly revolting," Gerri Waring said. "Technically we shouldn't even put it in with the other waste when we're litter picking. It releases chemicals and toxins into the atmosphere.

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"They leave it hanging on the tree as if to let everyone know that they won't throw it away. It is very odd."

The latest litter picking effort at Harrison's Wood (Image: Gerri Waring) The 27-hectare site can be accessed through Blue Boar Lane and attracted more than 500 volunteers across April and June earlier this year who collected 321 bags of litter weighing more than two tonnes.

Since starting in March 2023, Gerri says that the cleanliness of the woodland spot has only improved as a whole but dog poo remains an "endless frustration".

A spokesman for the South Norfolk and Broadland Council, which manages the wood, said: "There is no excuse for the behaviour that has been reported, as we have dog bins at all entrance points to the wood.

"We are also very grateful to the local volunteers who regularly carry out litter picks in the woods."