The fine - the maximum for such an offence - was imposed by magistrates at Stockport, Greater Manchester, following a prosecution by the local council's education welfare service.

It comes at a time when the government's Social Exclusion Unit is focusing on truancy and its effects.

The prosecution said the parents had "failed over an extended period" to send their son to school.

The couple, who were not in court for the hearing, were also ordered to pay £408 in costs.

The 1996 Education Act requires local authorities to do everything in their power to enforce school attendance, but fines of this magnitude are thought to be rare.

Last resort

Stockport's acting Chief Education Welfare Officer, Penny Pugh, said: "Prosecutions in these sorts of cases are a last resort.

"The school and education welfare service did all they could to resolve the difficulties in this case and we reluctantly decided to prosecute the parents."

Stockport's Director of Education, Max Hunt, said: "It is the first time we have known of parents of a truant getting a maximum fine."

The couple at the centre of the case said their son had had problems at school and they were planning to appeal against the magistrates' decision.