The first appeals against the results of Brighton and Hove's schools lottery were lodged within hours of parents receiving their notification letters.

Brighton and Hove City Council said it had already received six appeal forms today, less than a day after children found out which school they had been allocated.

A spokesman said more were expected in the coming days.

The council has already admitted it has made preparations to receive more appeals than the 150 it handled last year.

The speed at which the appeals have been lodged is an indication parents had prepared their cases in advance of their children's allocation being known.

Independent schools around the city today reported they were continuing to receive enquiries from parents.

Richard Cairns, the headteacher of Brighton College, said his admissions department had handled dozens of calls.

Brighton and Hove city councillor Vanessa Brown, the chairwoman of the city's Children and Young People's Trust, said she did not believe there would be an exodus from the state system as had been predicted.

She said: "I know there have been a lot of enquiries about places but that doesn't always mean there will be a movement to them. People make enquiries to find out costs and details, they won't necessarily follow them through.

"I can't imagine there's going to be a great exodus."

Coun Brown said it was likely there would be more appeals because people were more aware of the appeals process but said there were always families unhappy with their allocation each year.

In a show of discontent one parent listed their child's place at Longhill High School in Rottingdean for sale on the eBay internet auction site.

In the description they said: "No longer needed as going private to attend a school where the child is put first, rather than being a pawn in the political posturing of the local self serving council bigwigs, and part of a bizzare educational lottery.

"May suit a worried parent with a child starting Year 7 in September 2008 in Brighton and Hove who has been forced into a school that after 35 years of the comprehensive education system, and 10 years of Labour's "education, education, education" broken promises still doesn't offer the level of education that parents expect, the taxpayer has paid for and that children deserve."