Youngsters playing truant from school were stopped and questioned in a sweep of town centres and shopping areas.

East Sussex County Council and Sussex Police carried out a joint truancy sweep in Seaford on Monday and Newhaven on Tuesday.

British Transport Police also worked with Brighton and Hove City Council and West Sussex County Council to carry out anti-truancy patrols on the railway network on Tuesday.

The sweeps were the start of a campaign to persuade children to go back to the classroom.

Teams of East Sussex County Council Education Welfare Officers (EWO) and police officers patrolled areas around Newhaven and Seaford schools and shopping precincts, questioning any young people of school age seen out of school.

In all, 12 pupils were stopped and questioned in Newhaven, some of whom were accompanied by their parents, and the homes of a further 13 pupils were visited.

In Seaford eight pupils were stopped and questioned.

According to education welfare officers and police, it was reassuring that truancy did not appear to be a major problem for the schools in either town on these days.

Jill Muggleton, county senior education welfare officer, said: "The parents of any young person found out of school without valid reason will be contacted by our education welfare service, and schools will be notified of all pupils who were stopped and questioned.

"A further eight truancy sweeps are scheduled across the county throughout the spring and summer months."

On the railway network, more than 74 youngsters were stopped and of those whose details were taken, 30 per cent were found to be truanting.

Measures are now being taken to ensure they return to school.

Sergeant Jack Ioannou and Phillip Papps, the principal EWOs, said they planned further initiatives in future weeks.