Education heads in Eastbourne are struggling to cope with the number of children in the town and are being forced to turn new pupils away.

As many as 50 children have been told there will not be a place at primary school for them when the term starts in September as all the schools are full.

Only three schools in the whole of the Eastbourne area have any space for reception class pupils.

The extent of the crisis came to light at a meeting of the Eastbourne Area Committee where it was revealed head teachers and governors had been in meetings with education chiefs.

Now education officers are set to discuss the possibility of extending existing schools by adding new buildings or even establishing a new school in the area.

Education bosses have promised they will do everything in their power to find places for all primary school children by the start of the new term.

A spokesman from East Sussex County Council admitted it was desperately trying to resolve the problem.

He said: "Eastbourne is one of the areas lots of people are moving to. This is good news but the schools are struggling to cope with the influx. Primary schools are almost full up and we still have a number of pupils to place, but we will endeavour to do this before the new term."

He admitted it was difficult to confirm the exact number of pupils needing places because some parents were trying to move their children to different schools.

He added: "Education officers have been in discussions with head teachers in an attempt to alleviate the problem."

One temporary solution being considered is to make extra space by putting mobile classrooms in the grounds of some local schools.

Council leader Graham Marsden said: "It is a situation which has got progressively worse and something needs to be done.

"I am worried it could become a disincentive to move to the town."