EDUCATION Welfare staff are to continue with their truancy sweeps following the success of a two day pre-Christmas campaign.

Working with police in Bury town centre, officers stopped more than 100 young people, of whom a significant number were with a parent or other responsible adult.

Almost a half of those stopped were primary age pupils with an adult and the busiest period proved to be a Friday afternoon when 53 out-of-school children were stopped during a 90-minute period.

As a result of the sweep, Education Welfare officers will be following up the cases of all those stopped to see if there are any underlying attendance problems. Expressing concern at the numbers seen, Bury's Head of Education Welfare, Alan Cogswell, said: "There were a number who were absent for genuine medical reasons or because they were out of school with permission.

"Surprisingly, 28 of those stopped lived outside of the area and their details will be passed on to neighbouring authorities. Parents have to take the responsibility for their children's attendance at school more seriously."

He added: "Many of the absences that staff came across could have been avoided. Some parents openly admitted that they were Christmas shopping and there can be no excuse for them.

"With the support of our colleagues in the police, we will be continuing a campaign of truancy sweeps in the authority in an effort to address this issue."

Bury police commander, Chief Superintendent, Phil Hollowood, added: "It is true to say that not all truanting children are committing crimes or becoming victims of it, but many do.

"By running truancy initiatives like this, Bury's Community Safety Partnership is cutting crime."