HUNDREDS of school leavers hoping for places at Southampton University could be left in limbo this week because of industrial action by a lecturers' union.

Members of the Association of University Teachers, who include admissions tutors, are to boycott paperwork just as would-be students receive their A-level results on Thursday.

The two-day nationwide action is likely to affect those who fail to secure their expected grades and have to resort to last-minute applications through the clearing system.

University chiefs in Southampton have been forced to draft in extra administrative help, but admit there may still be delays. The AUT will resume its work the following week.

Tim Jewell, the union's honorary branch secretary, said: "We are advising members to refuse to participate in any admissions activity. It can be expected to cause some inconvenience.

"It's regrettable that academic staff have got to this point but we have to make it clear how deplorable the situation is."

University spokeswoman Sarah Watts said Southampton should suffer less than other establishments because fewer students tended to apply through clearing.

She added: "We have asked the individual faculties to establish contingency plans to minimise any disruption to the clearing process. There may be some slight delays but we don't anticipate major disruption."

Students' union president Graham Poole said: "We have to hope that they will carry that out and that there will be minimum disruption. Our message is that people should still apply to come here."

The boycott follows a one-day strike in May called after the AUT rejected a 3.5 per cent pay offer from university heads. Members had called for 10 per cent as a first step in bridging what they see as a widening pay differential with other white collar staff.

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