TOURISTS bringing their pet dogs to campsites in the New Forest will be charged an extra £1 per night from January.

Some dog owners have cried foul over the move, which they fear is a moneyspinner for campsite operator Forest Holidays. The levy could raise an estimated £100,000 a year.

Forest Holidays, a partnership between the Forestry Commission and the Camping and Caravanning Club, says the cash will be use to pay for more dog bins.

Forest regular Brian Kennett, 65, from Folkestone, has threatened to stop using local sites.

The ex-civil servant, who has two dogs, said: "It's a bit much being asked to pay for your dog when you've got members of the public just pulling up in a car for free to walk their dog. I've never had to pay to take my dog on holiday.

"It's going to make them lots of money."

A Forest Holidays spokesman said the charge was being introduced as part of a wider range of measures.

"In tandem with the charge we are installing more dog mess bins which, in turn, mean we can dispense with segregated areas on most of our sites for campers with dogs, giving them much greater freedom as to where they can pitch."

He added the move brought its campsites into line with its cabin sites in Yorkshire, Scotland and Cornwall, which charge for dogs.

Forest Holidays operates nine caravan and camping sites across the New Forest, with 3,320 pitches. Two are dog-free.