A Tory campaign leaflet claiming pensioners could face a 'dog tax' has been criticised for being silly and misleading.

Conservative candidates Mike and Marilyn Badcock, of Abingdon, have delivered leaflets saying the proposal by the Liberal Democrats to introduce compulsory dog licences is unfair to pensioners.

Neil Fawcett, Liberal Democrat county councillor for Abingdon South, said although the dog registration scheme was party policy it was not in the General Election manifesto and was not directed at OAPs.

He said: "It's not a bad idea to have a scheme where people have to know how to look after their pets properly.

"It could also reduce the number of owners who let their dogs foul the streets but the policy certainly doesn't target pensioners -- it's silly and misleading to say that."

Jean Davies, a spokesman for the Oxford Pensioners Action Group, said: "It seems wrong for the Tories to link pensioners with this proposed dog tax if the policy relates to everyone.

"But I remember the last dog tax and it was not a success because the administrative cost of collecting it was more than it produced."

Dog licences were abolished in Britain in 1987 on the grounds they did nothing to solve problems caused by irresponsible owners.

The Liberal Democrats announced their proposal to re-introduce the scheme in 2003 in a policy paper entitled Respecting All Animals.

Mr and Mrs Badcock were unavailable for comment.