OVER-subscription has created a catchment area “black hole”, leaving some Poole children “almost no chance” of a place at their nearest school, a Poole councillor claims.

Parents living in South Western Crescent and Conifer Avenue in Lower Parkstone are missing out on places at the two schools closest to them, according to Cllr Philip Eades.

They are out of the catchment for Lilliput First School and on the edge of catchment for Courthill First School – so miss out on both.

The Liberal Democrat deputy group leader, who has a child at Courthill, said distraught parents have come to him after their children ended up at Old Town First School – facing them with a “nightmare drive” during rush hour.

Lilliput and Courthill are within walking distance.

He said: “The council have been asleep on the job in my opinion. There are so many children in Lower Parkstone – there are so many children being born there.

“The council is not keeping pace with places.”

He said the excess was being mopped up by Old Town and other first schools.

“There’s nothing wrong with them, but it doesn’t solve the issue. Parents live where they live because that’s where they want their children to go to school,” he said.

“The council must provide places and if that means buying up surrounding properties and expanding the schools, then that’s what needs to happen.”

Cllr Tony Woodcock said a rise in births in the area, combined with families moving in and fewer choosing to send children to independent schools during the recession, was putting pressure on places.

He said the council was undertaking a catchment area review and considering ways to provide more places.

He added: “However, there will be more children than places in the Courthill, Heatherlands and Sylvan areas and these children will have to be accommodated in adjacent areas with surplus capacity.”