THE parents of a Weymouth schoolgirl have criticised the selection 'lottery' that denied their daughter a place at her favoured schools.

From next term Laura Allbutt, 11, must travel three-and-a-half miles from her home in Rodwell to Wey Valley School - despite living within walking distance of two others.

Following a failed appeal the local education authority denied Laura a place at either Budmouth Technology College or All Saints' School.

Her parents Chris and Julie Allbutt say the original appeal turned into a fiasco when it was cancelled and 30 sets of parents told to come back another day. Now they claim pupils from outside the town are getting preference over children who live in the immediate catchment area.

Mrs Allbutt, 42, who lives in Glebe Close, said sending her previous children to Budmouth and All Saints counted for nothing with the selection panel.

She said: "My daughter is heartbroken.

"All of her friends have been given places at Budmouth or All Saints and she has been taken away from them.

"The system is like a lottery and stacked against children who live in the area.

"It's not the fault of the schools, it's the fault of the education authority which controls the intake.

"We went to an appeal at county hall in May and they cancelled it at the last minute because somebody was ill.

"It was a fiasco, everybody was told to go home and come back another day."

She says when she was finally allowed to see the panel she stressed the importance of keeping her daughter happy.

But she was told all the places had been taken.

"I feel like my daughter has been bullied by the system. I'd consider educating her at home if I could afford it rather than sending her to the other side of town."

Husband Chris, 40, believes children from Portesham and Dorchester are taking places away from Weymouth children. He said: "How can the schools be so full and so many children from this area don't get into the schools of their choice?

"We feel let down by the system."

Dorset County Council's children services officer Phil Farmer said: "We are required to operate along both national and local guidelines and make decisions based on these criteria.

"The appeals process gives parents an opportunity to challenge decisions made by the admissions authority. It is totally independent of all parties and panels hearing appeals are required to weigh up all the evidence presented to them carefully and objectively before reaching a final decision.

"If an appeal is unsuccessful, parents can either accept the original offer made by the local authority or seek a place at an alternative school."