AN "unprecedented" drop in the number of parents applying for reception school places in Farnham has caught schools by surprise this week.

The number of parents seeking school places for four to five year olds in Farnham has steadily increased over the past decade.

But mysteriously the number of parents applying for reception places this September has dipped dramatically, especially in south and central Farnham where spaces were requested for just 274 children compared to 307 last year.

For full story, see this week's Farnham Herald.