Sex in the Suburbs: Dogging just a normal pastime claims voyeur website

This exhibitionist craze, people meeting up for sex in public, has been around for a decade. But it has grown in popularity as technology has moved on and the internet, smartphones and social media have made it easier for people to arrange to get together.

There have even been TV programmes, such as Channel 4's Dogging Tales, devoted to it. It is a problem for the police who would have to catch people in the act if they are to arrest them. And it is less than pleasant for families who want to enjoy areas of natural beauty, such as Cannock Chase, by day if they know that at night they are being used for such unsavoury activities.

The practice of dogging is described as engaging in sexual acts in a public place or watching others doing so.

It is said to have originated in the 1970s, with men following couples to watch them have sex, but only seems to have taken off since 2003. Dogging Tales drew two million viewers and sparked a storm on Twitter.

Now there is evidence that dogging has begun to spread to other countries, such as the United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia, Barbados, Brazil, the Netherlands and Denmark.

Cannock Chase is a notorious hotspot, but recent reports suggest doggers are also gathering in leafy Solihull.

A footpath near the police station was revealed as a prime location, while a layby in Egghill Lane, Frankley is also apparently a favourite.

Whole websites are devoted to it, allowing people to register themselves and get details of where to meet for sex.

On one site, it is praised as a hobby that is as normal as flower arranging or amateur dramatics. "The UK leads the world in dogging," it proclaims proudly.

"We simply love it as a nation. Thousands and thousands of people come dogging across the country, from London to Cornwall, to Cardiff to Glasgow. British dogging is the best, as we pretty much invented the niche, and more than in other countries, we actually treat each other nicely. When you join a group or couple for outdoor dogging in the UK, you will generally find them very welcoming and friendly.

"This is because it's viewed as something of a community activity in this country.

"You don't need to be nervous, and there is far less risk than in some countries where it's still very much an underground thing."

While it may no longer be 'underground', it is still against the law.

But there have been complaints that doggers often escape prosecution and that police have a lack of powers to deal with the problem. Officers have to catch those involved in the act if they want to take any action against them.

Dogging comes under laws related to voyeurism, exhibitionism or public displays of sexual behaviour – but the laws on dogging itself are ambiguous.

Police say prosecution is possible under the Public Order Act or the Sexual Offences Act, or for the common law offence of outraging public decency. But the Association of Chief Police Officers' policy is that arrests are a last resort and a more gradual approach should be taken in such circumstances.