Eight parents have been fined for failing to ensure their child attended school regularly.

Six parents appeared at North and West Cumbria Magistrates Court in Workington and pleaded guilty to the offences - however one couple failed to attend the hearing and the matter was heard in their absence.

They were fined a total of £2,575.

And the cases have prompted a warning from Cumbria County Council that they only pursue action in these circumstances in the best interests of the children involved.

The six youngsters concerned attend a mixture of schools including Maryport's Netherhall School, Workington's St Joseph Catholic High School and Workington Academy.

The families, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, live across Allerdale and Copeland.

All of the parents had been taken to court because their child had failed to attend school regularly over several months and attendance records did not improve after the schools' and county council's intervention.

The lowest attendance record was that of a child with 29.36 per cent attendance in a period of just under 12 months. The highest attendance record brought before the magistrates was that of a child who attended 82.4 per cent of the lessons in 11 months.

The court heard how none of the children had medical issues preventing them attending school nor were bullied.

In one case, a mother stated her child was "lazy".

Despite attempting to encourage attendance by "grounding" their child, cancelling their internet and mobile phone contracts and attending meetings with the schools, parents all reported they found it difficult to make their kids go to school.

However one couple said since they told their son they would have to go to court due to his non-attendance, he only missed one day of school from Easter since the end of the school year.

Jonathan Farmworth, prosecuting, told the magistrates the couple who failed to attend the court hearing had engaged very little with the school and county council's workers.

Their daughter had an attendance record of 78.65 per cent. The average for her year group was 94 per cent in a 12-month period.

Magistrates imposed the highest fine to this couple, of £660 each.

All defendants were also ordered to pay costs of £100 to bringing each case to court and a victim surcharge based on their income.

A spokesman for the county council, which is responsible for education, said headteachers of individual schools decide if parents should be issued with a fine when their children fail to attend regularly.

He added: "The council issues fixed penalty notices to parents when a child has persistent unauthorised absences from school.

"Penalty notices are only issued as a last resort to encourage improved attendance, and only after other options have been exhausted.

"Should a fixed penalty notice fail to secure improved attendance, the council will consider bringing a prosecution to court. This only occurs in a very small number of cases each year.

"The purpose of issuing penalty notices and or prosecutions is ultimately to benefit the child by ensuring their attendance at school improves.

"The council employs access and inclusion officers who work closely with schools in Cumbria, families and other agencies to address attendance concerns and to promote the benefits of regular school attendance."