More than 2000 schoolchildren have gone missing in areas thought to have high levels of forced marriages, it has emerged.

More than 2000 schoolchildren have gone missing in areas thought to have high levels of forced marriages, it has emerged.

The figure was produced after inquiries were made in 14 local authority areas identified as "high risk" by the Government's Forced Marriage Unit.

But the disclosure prompted alarm at the number of children from any background that authorities have lost track of.

One of the councils covered by the survey rebutted the notion that the figure reflected the number of girls taken abroad against their will.

However, a study for the Home Office warned that the problem of forced marriages in Britain was massively underestimated.

In a submission to the Home Affairs Select Committee, the Department for Children, Schools and Families said 2089 had gone missing in areas of particular concern.

The survey was conducted after Children's Minister Kevin Brennan said last week that 33 girls were missing in Bradford.

Amid heightened concern about forced marriages, Chris Keates, general secretary of teachers' union NASUWT, expressed alarm that children had gone missing for any reason. "The real issue is that youngsters go missing from the system at all, rather than why this happens," he said.

"The debate around forced marriages must not be allowed to distract attention from the fact that children are missing and at risk."

Town halls said they were trying to improve their tracking of children on the rolls of local education authorities, but complained they were powerless to stop parents taking children abroad for "extended holidays".

A spokesman for the Local Government Association said: "In some communities, there appears to be widespread acceptance of this practice, so neighbours and friends are reluctant to report it."