HUNDREDS of Whiteley parents are demanding action from education bosses over the school places crisis in the area.

Responses have poured in after local councillor and resident, Sean Woodward and Fareham MP Mark Hoban, sent out 6,000 questionnaires to gauge the strength of feeling among residents over the lack of school places.

Last week the Daily Echo reported that after 27 children have been refused entry into Whiteley Primary School next year, some parents received further rejections from second and third choice schools which were also full.

The questionnaires are aimed to get up-to-date information on numbers of children in the area and what parents want done, in a bid to bolster demands for a new school.

Councillor Sean Woodward said they had been overwhelmed by the response, but urged residents who hadn't responded to take action.

"Responses have been pouring in from Whiteley but not so much from surrounding areas," he said.

"But it indicates how strongly people affected feel about this situation."

"We want to produce hard, robust facts that we can use to take the best possible case to the county council. I think we will have far better and more accurate figures than the county council."

Education chiefs at Hampshire County Council are currently carrying out their own consultation exercise to deal with the school places shortage.

County council leader, Ken Thornber, told the Daily Echo they were still considering the possibility of building a new school in the area. The coming weeks will prove a crucial time for council leaders and parents as the crisis, which started in 2002, is addressed head on.

Cllr Woodward said: "This is an extremely important issue for local parents and the more that respond to the survey the better.

We have enclosed Freepost envelopes."

Last week, frustrated parents submitted an appeal to the local education authority over the decision not to allow their children places at Whiteley Primary School in Yew Tree Drive.