A three-metre inflatable poo belonging to a local council and worth the equivalent of AU$6,000 (3,000 GBP) has been stolen.

The huge inflata-poo was part of a campaign by the council to try and combat the problem of dog droppings in the municipality of Torrelodones, in the central Spanish province of Madrid.

The inflatable had been installed in the main square but has since gone missing and is believed to have been stolen.

It was the centrepiece of an online campaign created by the council with the hashtag #NoMasCacas (NoMorePoos).

Whoever uploaded a picture with the poo would be given a T-shirt and a booklet.

But now the campaign faces being axed.

The local council had wanted to place smaller poos made out of cement in the hot spots where people walk their dogs with the slogan: “This is one of the biggest obstacles for social harmony. If you have a dog help us.”

The inflatable, costing AU$6,000 (3000 GBP) was installed on May 22 and changed location various times as part of the campaign before it was stolen.

Local media has made fun of the news, with headlines such as “The Pride of Torrelodones has been Stolen.”

Now the local authorities are looking at CCTV footage of cameras installed nearby to see if they can find the thieves.