BASINGSTOKE MP Andrew Hunter has spoken of his alarm at a big rise in truancy in Hampshire schools - and is warning that it not only damages children's education but can lead to increased crime.

Referring to the latest Government statistics that show unauthorised absences - which can include truancies - from secondary schools in the county have risen by 40 per cent since 1997, Mr Hunter said a total of 102,215 school days were lost in Hampshire last year.

The good news for Basingstoke secondary schools is that figures for unauthorised absences have risen by only seven per cent since 1997.

Mr Hunter told The Basingstoke Extra: "The alarming rising tide of truancy in the county is a matter of major concern. The Government target was to cut truancy by a third. This simply has not happened.

"Truancy not only damages the education of children. In many cases it is the start of a criminal lifestyle. This is one of the many problems facing our schools along with teacher shortages, low morale and lack of proper discipline.

"The efforts of hard-working professionals in our schools are being undermined. It is vital that parents and the public are aware of these growing problems."

A spokesman for the county education department said: "We do not have any actual truancy figures. We have unauthorised absence figures but they can cover reasons other than truancy.

"In the year 1997-8, there were 12,998 days of unauthorised absence from secondary school in the Basingstoke area. In the year 2000-1 there were 13,859 days of unauthorised absence."

This week, Basingstoke police officers and education welfare officers will be taking part in a series of sweeps across the town and county to catch youngsters playing truant.

Any parent with a child of school age who is not in school will be asked to supply details and explain why the youngsters are not where they should be.

Youngsters out on their own without good reason will be escorted back to school.