The shocking scale of school truancy across the Bradford district has emerged in new figures revealed today.

Government statistics of school absenteeism in each of the district's parliamentary constituencies show Bradford West is the third worst in country, with Bradford North fourth worst and Bradford South sixth worst. Keighley is 18th.

Nearly 58 per cent of secondary school pupils in the district skipped lessons at least once last year.

In Bradford West, 2,874 out of 4,795 children - 59.9 per cent - had at least one half day's unauthorised absence. Only Salford and Sheffield Central had worse school absenteeism.

In Bradford North, 4,306 out of 7,502 secondary pupils missed school without permission at least once last year - 57.4 per cent.

And in Bradford South 4,185, or 55.8 per cent, of pupils missed classes at least once up to the end of the school year in July.

In Keighley, 51.3 per cent of secondary schools pupils played truant - up 8.4 per cent. In Shipley, the figure was 35.6 per cent - down 2.3 per cent.

Truancy in Batley and Spen secondary schools rose 4.6 per cent, to 31.6 per cent, and teachers in Pudsey saw a 1.6 per cent rise to 21.3 per cent. The figures were made public by the Department for Education and Skills figures.

Councillor Dale Smith, the Bradford Council's executive member for education, described absenteeism rates as "unacceptable".

He said: "I will be calling for a much closer analysis of the figures so we understand their implication. On the face of it, it is very serious."

But Barbara Lawrie, Education Bradford's principal education social worker, said her schools were achieving their best-ever attendance figures - secondary school attendance is at 91.2 per cent compared with 89.2 per cent for 2000/2001.

She said: "The figures also do not take into account the various reasons unauthorised absence is recorded.

"Yes, pupils do stay away from school, but can be marked down for a half day absence if they are late for school, or the school is told late of a child being off sick.

"In order to provide the courts with rigorous registration figures which are used to prosecute parents who do not ensure their children attend school regularly, Bradford schools have a very strict registration system which records all unauthorised absence."

Councils now have powers to impose £50 fixed penalty fines on parents who allow their children to persistently truant from school.

The fine escalates to £100 after 28 days and parents who fail to pay are prosecuted through the courts.

The Telegraph & Argus reported last month that education bosses in Bradford had handed out 89 fines in 48 school days - a rate of almost two a day.

However more than a third of these parents are now being prosecuted for failing to pay the fine.

Truancy sweeps are also carried out by education social workers, police and police community support officers in Bradford.

The teams target set areas in the district to look for school age children who are playing truant. Interviews take place on the street and if a youngster is found to be skipping lessons they can be returned to school.

Inspector Steve Baker, of Bradford South police, said truants were often found by patrols in the city centre.

Insp Baker, who is in charge of city centre policing, said: "Our Police Community Support Officers regularly stop young people who are on their own or with a companion, parent or guardian and they can be returned to school if appropriate.

"Children playing truant can be found at the shopping centres, at Bradford Interchange and the Leisure Exchange also seems to attract them. It is an on-going problem."