CHILDREN playing truant in Bolton are swapping their traditional haunts around the town centre -- for the town's magistrates court.

Dozens of children have started to congregate at the entrance to the court in Le Mans Crescent during the day.

They spend hours smoking and chatting, and ignore threats by court staff to report them to the authorities.

As many as 20 children have gathered at the court entrance over the past few weeks, with many of them wearing their school uniforms.

A worker at the court said: "They just stand outside for hours when they should be at school.

"We tell them that there are wardens in the building, but they just don't seem to care."

Education bosses said they were aware of the situation but were baffled as to why children were choosing the court.

A BEN reporter has observed some of the children hanging around outside the court.

A fresh truancy sweep looks likely to take place before Christmas, following previous attempts to reduce the number of children skipping school. Last Christmas 53 youngsters were stopped in the street and, in line with other truancy sweeps, 80 per cent were with a parent.

Bolton Council and the police regularly join forces to combat the nuisance.

Usual hotspots in the town are around the Moor Lane bus station and in the Market Hall.

A spokesman for Bolton Council's Education department said: "We have had parents informing us that their children have been found on the steps of the court.

"It's a problem we are now aware of and will be looking to tackle in the near future. The court does strike me as being a bizarre choice for children."

Children who are caught playing truant are taken to Bolton Town Hall where they are questioned by education and social workers before being transported back to school.

New powers were given to Bolton magistrates to fine or even jail parents who persistently fail to send their children to school. They could be sent to prison for up to three months or be hit in the pocket by as much as £2,500.

Last year Bolton education chiefs prosecuted 50 parents for failing to send their children to school. In one case an £800 fine was imposed on one family for a number of offences.

Cllr Linda Thomas, council executive member for Education, said: "Each time we have investigated these claims the children have moved on so we've not been able to get to the root of the problem. It is something we are taking seriously and with great concern."