A POLICE crackdown on truancy among youngsters in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight last week has revealed nearly half of the children found outside school were with adults.

In some cases, parents had taken their children shopping or were buying them shoes when they should have been in lessons.

In Hythe alone, of the 20 children who were stopped during the sweep, 15 were with adults. One child was returned to school by police and education welfare officers.

Chief Insp Mike Dulson of Hampshire police's community safety unit said: "Nearly half the children stopped overall were with adults and it was clear in many cases that parents did not fully understand their responsibilities.

"These parents were spoken to and given clear advice about ensuring their children took full advantage of their education."

The crackdown saw 92 children stopped in Southampton with 45 returned to their teachers.

In Gosport, 22 youngsters were stopped by police and four returned to their classes by education welfare officers.

In Winchester, 16 children were stopped but none were returned to lessons.

Hampshire County Council's executive member for education, Councillor Don Allen, said: "We are in the process of collating all the results and, once this has been completed, we will be looking at them in detail to identify any appropriate follow-up action with individuals.

"We are already noticing that the majority of the children who were stopped were with a parent or a carer and in some cases they did not have a good reason for being away from school. For example, they were visiting relatives."

He added: "The number of children who play truant in Hampshire is tiny, with overall unauthorised absence rates below the national average. However, we are committed to ensuring these are reduced."