TWO mothers and a father have been convicted of failing to ensure their children attend school in Bury.

Selina Pritchard of Cross Lane, Radcliffe, was given a 12-month conditional discharge after Bury magistrates were told her daughter had 20 unauthorised absences from school out of a possible 68 days late last year.

Pritchard, who was found guilty after she denied the charge, was told that if her daughter fails to attend Radcliffe's Coney Green High School again she could be returned to the court. Bury's Head of Education Welfare, Alan Cogswell, said the case "underlined" the council's determination to crackdown on truancy.

He said: "We have brought cases before the court involving youngsters who have had far greater number of absences than this one.

"This latest case, though, perhaps underlines our determination to ensure that all our pupils get the education they need and deserve. Parents who condone, or fail to act, when their child is continually absent from school must know that we will take whatever action is necessary to change that situation."

A mother and father also appeared before magistrates accused of the same offence. Bronislaw and Grazyna Goral of Craven Street, Bury, admitted failing to ensure the attendance of their child at Broad Oak High. Between October and December of last year there were only two attendances out of a possible 136. Each parent was fined £75 and they shared court costs of £100.

Sharon Pennington, of New Cateaton Street, Bury, also pleaded guilty to the same offence. The matters involved two of her children who are enrolled at Broad Oak High. One attended on only 20 out of a possible 106 occasions, while they other managed 36 out of 70. She was given a Parenting Order and ordered to pay £150 court costs.