Nearly 50 youngsters were netted in a truancy blitz.

Educational welfare and police officers yesterday rounded up 47 youngsters in Clacton and the surrounding area who should have been in class.

Ten of the students stopped were taken back to school.

There were also some youngsters who were not from the town and had reasons for being out during school hours.

Of those stopped, 37 were with their parents.

In these cases parents were advised that their children should be in school and it is an offence to keep them off without good reason.

The Government set aside certain weeks of the year for the truancy sweeps to be carried out.

But in Tendring extra truancy sweeps are held to try to beat the problem.

One such case was on October 7 when 78 youngsters were stopped and spoken to in a truancy sweep.

Sgt Bob Walsham said there were about five or six sweeps held in Tendring each year.

Published Wednesday November 26, 2003

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