EDUCATION bosses are warning parents that they will be liable to prosecution if they do not ensure their child or children regularly attend school.

They intend to seek maximum publicity for successful prosecutions.

Magistrates have recently imposed fines totalling £740 on four families whose nine children had not regularly attended school.

One family in Breightmet was fined a total of £300 including costs.

A family in Tonge Moor was fined a total of £200 including costs.

Another family in the Tonge Moor area was fined a total a £150 including costs.

And a family in Farnworth received a 12 months conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £90 costs.

More than 20 people are currently facing prosecution if there is noimprovement in their children's attendance at school. Another 10 cases will be summonsed before the School Attendance Joint Consultative Panel prior to any court proceedings.

Cabinet member for education councillor Linda Thomas said: "It is a shame that we have to go through this process of prosecuting parents to ensure that their children receive the education to which they entitled.

"Parents are responsible for their children attending school and must ensure they do."

She added: "We are sending out a warning to all parents that if they don't ensure that their children are in school then action will be taken.

"It is, after all, these children's futures that we are talking about, and without ensuring their children attend school regularly they will have denied their children many opportunities."