One of England's worst truants has promised to attend school to save his mother from prison.

Richard Usher, 15, agreed to return to All Saints College, Newcastle, yesterday after playing truant for eight months.

Gosforth magistrates accepted his promise after he appeared in court on Monday. Instead of a jail sentence, they fined his mother, Cynthia, £150.

The court heard that Mrs Usher, of Rose Hill Way, Blakelaw, Newcastle, who has eight children aged six to 19, has already been fined a total of £375 on three different occasions since December, 2003, over Richard's truancy.

She was one of the first two parents found guilty of repeatedly and knowingly failing to keep their children in lessons at an earlier hearing on September 19. The offence carries a three-month jail sentence or fines of up to £2,500.

Mrs Usher was arrested and ordered to attend court to explain her circumstances before the magistrates decided her punishment.

Outside court, she said: "I have got no choice about sending him tomorrow. You send your children to school, but you can't keep them there."

The court heard that she had not complained about bullying to staff at All Saints.

Richard did not turn up for any lessons during a four-week monitoring period, in March.

Later this month, Roseanne Hall, from Eastbourne Avenue, Walker, Newcastle, will be sentenced for the same offence after her sons, Ross, 12, and Ashley, 15, did not attend classes at Walker Technology College. She has already been fined £225 on four separate occasions since 2000.

Ian Clennell, acting head of Newcastle City Council's education welfare service, said: "Parents have a legal responsibility to ensure their children attend school.

"In cases where parents do not fulfil this responsibility we have a duty to take the appropriate action, which may include prosecution and could lead to imprisonment.

"If parents are worried about their child's attendance we would urge them to contact their school or the education welfare service for advice and support.

"We would much prefer to work with families to address the reasons for a pupil not wanting to go to school and we offer support to all parents and children."

Magistrates agreed the parents and their children could be named and agreed to lift reporting restrictions preventing their identification.