Independent school Brighton College has announced it will be admitting children at a younger age following a surge in applications since the introduction of a school lottery in Brighton and Hove.

Headmaster Richard Cairns said the college would break a 160-year old tradition by admitting pupils at the age of 11 instead of 13.

The college intends to create an initial extra class of 24 pupils.

Mr Cairns said he has found parents frustrated by the introduction in Brighton and Hove of lotteries which have been designed to stop middle-class families dominating the best secondaries.

The college has experienced a 43 per cent rise in the number of enquiries it has received.

Mr Cairns said: "Our prep school simply cannot accommodate the rise in demand and it makes sense for us to set up our own lower school in the main college for 11 to 13-year-olds.

"What we are finding is that most parents are very happy with the many excellent primary schools in the city but are often troubled by the secondary school options.

"This has been exacerbated by the introduction of the lottery which means that their children may end up at a school which neither parents nor children want.

"Consequently, many more parents whose children are currently in state schools have come to visit Brighton College and schools like ours."

Brighton and Hove City Council announced in February last year that it would allocate places at its two most oversubscribed state schools by lottery.

The authority decided the controversial method would stop affluent families dominating the most sought-after secondaries.