DEFIANT parents demanding places for their children at a school will today make a last-ditch plea to chiefs to change their minds.

Mum Debbie Casey will hand -deliver a dossier of documents including a list of counter-arguments against Whiteley Primary School's refusal to give places to 25 children.

Mrs Casey, 35, of Andalusian Gardens, Whiteley, will be joined by other mums and dads whose children have been denied places.

The parents' appeals will be heard at the end of the month by education chiefs, the school's headteacher Pat Bradley and the chairman of governors, Ron Short.

If they are unsuccessful the parents could face close to an eight-mile round trip to take their children to other schools in the borough.

"Today is the last chance for us to hand in any more documents supporting our case," said Mrs Casey. who desperately wants to win a place for her three-year-old daughter Jessica.

We hope that providing this extra information will strengthen our position and help us win our appeals at the end of the month.

"We are still fighting."

Hampshire County Council sent out rejection letters to the parents of 35 children in February after they missed out on getting one of the Yew Tree Drive school's 90 reception places.

The parents are arguing that there is room at the school for their children, especially since the school has not reached its full quota of 630 children yet.

Present forecasts show the scramble for places is set to continue with 116 children chasing 90 places next year and 126 children after the same number the following year.