A Winchester mum is facing the threat of jail for not sending her daughter to school - even though she says she is doing everything she can.

The 39-year-old has pleaded not guilty at magistrates court to breaking the education Act by not ensuring her 14-year-old daughter attends school.

The prosecution has been brought by Hampshire County Council as part of a clampdown on truancy.

In May a mother from Warsash narrowly avoided jail after a court heard that her daughter attended school for just three days in two years. The Winchester woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: "I think the prosecution is ridiculous and very unfair. I have done everything I could to get my daughter to school."

She acknowledged her attendance record was not good but had improved recently.

The mother, who lives in Winnall, said: "Everyone I have spoken to has said the law was not intended for people like me, it is intended for parents who lie in bed all day and can't be bothered."

She faces trial at Andover Magistrates Court on September 16. Legal aid has not been granted and she will have to defend herself.

The woman said she resigned from her managerial job to ensure that she can take her daughter to school.

But in May the teenager was taken to school in a police van when she was caught on a countywide anti-truancy sweep.

The mother has made an agreement with the school to personally take her daughter but that day they were running more than an hour late when two police officers and three education welfare officials arrived at their door.

Hampshire County Council's principal education welfare officer, John Heath said: "Hampshire County Council works hard to promote the regular and punctual attendance of pupils at school.

"Prosecution is the last resort for parents who fail to ensure their child attends school. We work hard with the family and the school to resolve any problems and only if non-attendance persists do we prosecute.

"The council takes truancy extremely seriously and I hope that this strong message is a deterrent to parents who allow their children to miss school," he said.