A headmaster allowed a teacher's daughter a place at his school to stop her going to a less popular one.

The 11-year-old girl was turned down for her first choice of Blatchington Mill School in Hove and had failed to get in on appeal when headteacher Neil Hunter allowed her a place.

Education bosses were forced to step in and issue an injunction against the school governors after he refused to change his mind.

The girl, who has not been named, was originally offered a place at Portslade Community College after her parents had put Blatchington Mill down as their first choice.

They appealed against the decision but were told Blatchington Mill, where one of her parents works, was full.

Despite it being against the LEA's admissions policy, Mr Hunter then decided to offer her a place in September.

He was told to withdraw the offer but is understood to have refused, saying it would cause the girl too much distress.

The injunction was served when the girl took part in an induction course for new pupils held before the start of the new school year.

When approached by The Argus, councillor Jenny Barnard-Langston, who was chairman of governors at the time, confirmed an injunction was served on her in connection with the incident.

She said: "I understand there was a complaint to the education directorate that Mr Hunter had given the child of a senior member of staff preferential treatment.

"Mr Hunter was asked to withdraw the offer of a place and was told the girl should not be allowed to start there.

"He felt it would cause the girl too much distress to expect her to change schools as she was already taking part in the induction course."

As a result of the injunction, the girl was told her place had been withdrawn and she would have to go to Portslade Community College instead.

She started there on September 5.

Mr Hunter said: "There are staff from time to time who don't want their children to go to another school and would like them to go to the one where they work.

"Sometimes it is nice to see if this is possible but the rules say it is not.

"The girl started at Portslade Community College on the day she was scheduled to."

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove Education Authority said: "We had to take action to enforce our admissions rules. The situation has been resolved to our satisfaction."

Councillor Mark Worgan, chairman of governors at Blatchington Mill, was unavailable for comment yesterday.