POLICE and education welfare officers stopped 81 people in a crackdown on truancy.

The sweep was part of a countywide initiative running in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Officers from Andover, Stockbridge and Weyhill teamed up with the education officers from Hampshire County Council to carry out the sweep last week and targeted the town centre and the nearby estates.

From the 81 people stopped, one child was returned to school and another was detained. A large number of those asked were secondary school pupils whose school was closed for a teacher training day.

But those involved in the morning have hailed the sweep a success and say it's not just about catching children who are not attending school.

"We're reinforcing a message in the childrens' minds that if they don't go to school they are committing an offence and could get caught," said Sgt Ian Ashbolt.

"It's not just about catching children, it's about spreading the word that they should be at school."

Sgt Ashbolt said young people playing truant were at risk of becoming involved in criminal activity.

It was the parents' responsibility to ensure their child receives full-time education.

"A lot of parents don't understand that they have full parental control over their children to get them to school," he added.

"By asking the children in front of their parents why they are not at school reinforces the message to the whole family that it is the parents' responsibility to ensure their child goes to school."

The Crime and Disorder Act permits teams of police and education officers to identify truants, return them to school and to notify parents.

Anyone found playing truant is registered by the education welfare officers and the police and follow up action is taken, including advice and guidance.

The rates of truancy are already very low in Hampshire and below the national average.

In Andover between May 2000 and 2001, 343 children were stopped and interviewed.