TRUANTING youngsters were targeted yesterday as a major crackdown on antisocial behaviour was launched in the Lordshill and Lordswood areas of Southampton.

Education welfare officers from Southampton City Council accompanied by police officers patrolled the communities to spot youngsters out on the streets who should have been in class.

The truancy sweep stopped ten children during the day, five of whom were returned to school after being found on the streets or at home with no reasonable excuse to be there.

One 12-year-old girl had to be picked up from home where she had been refusing to get up to get to her nearby secondary school.

Several other youngsters were stopped on the streets around the district centre in Lordshill who claimed to have been visiting doctors and dentists.

The sweep was one of many initiatives under way in the area as part of the Crime Reduction and En-vironment Week (CREW).

Police were conducting high-visibility patrols and distributing posters making people aware of the week-long crackdown.

The clean-up will also extend to public buildings and bus shelters that will be targeted by the council's grime-busting team.

Fine enforcement teams will also be out in force collecting debts that are owed to the courts. Police will also be accompanying DVLA officers as part of a crackdown on people who have failed to tax and insure their vehicles.

Beat officer for the area PC Sarah MacDonald said: "We have had a very positive reaction so far."

It is the third time that the CREW initiative, that combines the efforts of a number of organisations, has been organised for the city with previous weeks being held in the Sholing and Swaythling areas.