FURIOUS parents today demanded an apology from council and police chiefs, after a routine truancy patrol turned into an angry row.

Selby couple Scott and Marie Shooter claim their six-year-old daughter, Abi, was left scared and upset following the dispute in D'Arcy Road, and is now afraid to talk to the police.

The Shooters say two truancy officers from North Yorkshire County Council and a police community support officer failed to show identification when they stopped Marie to ask why Abi was not at school.

But the police and the council have both denied the claim, and said their staff always show ID.

The incident occurred at about 11.45am on Friday, November 18, when Abi was off school ill.

Mrs Shooter said she and her daughter were stopped by a grey vehicle, and two women with clip boards got out and asked her for her name and address.

Mrs Shooter said she initially thought they were canvassing information about Selby District Council's proposed housing sell-off, and said she didn't have time to talk.

She said: "I went to go past, and one of the women tried to stop me.

"They said I was breaking the law and they needed to know why my daughter was off school."

Mrs Shooter refused to co-operate without seeing ID, but said the truancy officers shouted down the street after her.

She said the police officer then got out of the car and said he had the right to detain her.

Mrs Shooter said the officer was wearing his police shirt, but not full uniform.

Mr Shooter said Abi's school was aware of her illness, and he has submitted a written complaint to North Yorkshire County Council, but it today denied any wrong-doing.

Council spokesman Tony Webster, said: "All our officers involved in a truancy swoop like this carry and offer identification before they even start talking to somebody.

"This woman just did not want to know."

Mr Shooter said he believed the women may have had identification with them, but it was hidden under their coats.

He said Abi now panics when she sees a police officer, asking: "Are they coming to take me away?"

Sergeant Kirk Fletcher, of Selby Police, said: "The officers tell me they introduced themselves to the woman and she basically told them to mind their own business and walked off."

He said the truancy team had been given specific permission by North Yorkshire's Chief Constable to do patrols on the day in question, and were in a clearly-marked vehicle.

He said the police officer, Andy Patchett, was also in uniform.

Sgt Fletcher said: "I have spoken to Andy Patchett, who has done these patrols before, and he was quite happy with the way it was done."

Updated: 11:13 Tuesday, November 29, 2005