Thirty three pupils had to explain their absence from school

A sweep involving police and council officers in Aberystwyth, Lampeter and Tregaron resulted in 33 children being questioned about their absence from school.

Although only one Aberystwyth schoolgirl was identified as a persistent truant in Tuesday's operation, sweeps will occur regularly in future.

It is part of a concerted move by education authorities across Wales to take tougher action against children truanting from lessons.

Last month a 35-year-old Carmarthenshire woman became the first parent in Wales to be sent to jailed because her 14-year-old son had played truant for three months.

I anticipate that from September we will be conducting these sweeps in Ceredigion's towns at least once a term Stuart Bradley, education inclusion officer

"Although truancy problems in rural areas aren't as bad as urban areas with shopping malls such as Swansea we still have to keep a close eye on the situation," said Stuart Bradley, team leader of Ceredigion's six-strong education inclusion team..

"I anticipate that from September we will be conducting these sweeps in Ceredigion's towns at least once a term."

Before this week's action, t he last truancy sweep in Ceredigion took place in Aberystwyth in January.

Council officials accompany police officers on the sweeps because police are not allowed to escort children back to school on their own.

They travel with officers in a car until they spot a child they suspect of truancy.

"In Lampeter we spotted a child who was with her mum and we approached them before asking why the child was not in school," said Mr Bradley.

Aberystwyth police stopped 24 children in the town

"She said the child was ill so we took their details and checked with the school about the child's attendance record."

Mr Bradley added that the sweeps were useful exercises in raising the profile of parents' responsibility for their children's attendance at school.

"Prosecution of parents is the last resort for us as a local authority because prosecuting the parent sometimes has no effect in getting the children to attend school," said Mr Bradley.

"This partnership approach with the education authority was to ensure that truancy levels within this area are being monitored," said Chief Superintendent Alun Williams of Dyfed-Powys Police.

"I was pleased that only one young person was found to be in Aberystwyth town when she should have been at school."