An education director has apologised to parents who say they were misled over plans to merge two schools.

The apology came after they told him they had faced a "tide of dishonesty and cynicism" from Brighton and Hove City Council over the merger.

David Hawker, the city council's director of schools, defended his staff and councillors in the face of tough questions from parents, governors and teachers during a meeting at Goldstone Primary School, Hove.

The school was formed last year following the merger of Knoll Infants School and Goldstone Primary School.

The move was backed after parents and staff were told the Knoll site would be sold to pay for a single school on the Goldstone site in Laburnam Avenue, Hove.

However, the scheme was thrown into chaos when Brighton and Hove's bid for £1.2 million to pay for the work was rejected by the Government.

The council's education committee ruled last month the school would have to continue to operate on both sites.

A rethink was ordered by an education scrutiny panel after angry protests from parents at both schools.

Mr Hawker said the bid for government cash met all the criteria and the council was surprised it had been turned down.

He said: "My officers do not make promises without there being a proper basis to do so and I believe they made it clear that the merger was dependent on capital receipts.

"I am willing to apologise to you here and now for anything which might have been said which gave people more cause for optimism."

Parents said they were told the money was already in place for building work and did not realise it was dependent on government money.

Paul Bennett, a parent and school governor, said: "The council should have checked to see if there was anything which might block the new school going ahead."

Tom Cutler, of the Goldstone Parents Action Group, said: "As far as this council is concerned we are swimming against a tide of dishonesty and cynicism.

"Nothing was planned and there was no strategy in place before it decided to go ahead with the merger.

"Now it is telling us that it was unfortunate that the bid for the money was turned down. It simply isn't good enough."

The council could be asked to find the extra money, a new bid for government money could be made, or the school could continue to run on a split site.

Mr Hawker said a new study was underway to see which of the three options, or a combination of them, was the best way forward. The aim is to find a solution before the education committee meets again on September 9.

He said the views of parents and staff would be fully taken into account before new recommendations were made.