Universities will train more than 50 extra teachers each year after their allocation of training places was increased.

Head teachers in Brighton and Hove welcomed news of the extra places at the universities from which they recruit the majority of their staff.

The Teacher Training Agency, which allocates places, said high standards in the Brighton area had led to the award of 58 extra places.

The University of Brighton was awarded 50 new primary places, although it lost eight of its secondary allocation.

From next September it will offer 249 primary places and 446 secondary.

The University of Sussex got an extra 16 secondary places, bringing its total to 179. Ten are in English, three in music and three in modern languages.

Pat Drake, director of initial teacher training at the University of Sussex, said: "We were always over-subscribed in English and, following an absolutely excellent Ofsted inspection, we are delighted to have been given an extra ten places.

"The places for modern languages, which is a shortage subject, are reinstated places because recruitment has been going so well."

About 75 per cent of the university's trainee teachers go to local schools.

The University of Brighton was delighted with its extra primary places. Courses are heavily over-subscribed with applications rising each year. But some of its secondary courses are under-subscribed.

A spokeswoman said: "We very much welcome this news and are committed to training as many high-class teachers as possible."

Liz Fletcher, head teacher at Patcham High School, was particularly pleased at the extra places in shortage subjects such as modern languages and English.

She said: "The tendency is if you get trainees into an area, particularly in shortage subjects, they then want to stay in that area - if they can afford to, that is.

"Most local schools have a very strong relationship with the two universities, which have a very good reputation for teacher training.

"The supply is there. What we've got to get support on is the issues surrounding the retaining of new teachers."

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: "The places are excellent news."