TRUANTS will be taught a sharp lesson by education chiefs whose message is a simple one -- school is not an option, it's a necessity.

A major crackdown on pupils who skip lessons is has been launched in a link up between Wigan's education welfare team and police.

The truancy sweeps follows last year's successful on-street campaign when education welfare officers and police stopped 678 children and discovered half of them were absent without good reason. Their parents received letters and pupils' attendance records were monitored.

Parents who know their children are not attending school and do not take action to ensure they attend face fines of up to £2,500 or three months' imprisonment.

Deputy Director of Education John Cowen said: "It is clearly in everyone's best interests that children are in school. It is the only way they will achieve full potential. We hope they will send out a positive message to the community and raise the profile of school attendance."

And Chief Inspector Ian Palmer added: "Truancy sweeps are important and a good use of resources because we care about the concerns of people and we also care about the future of the children of the borough."