PARENTS in Bramhope are celebrating the news that 14 more pupils from the village are to be given places at Prince Henry's Grammar School.

The families of 19 children from Bramhope Primary, plus several others who attend different schools, were told at the end of February that their first choice of secondary school had been refused.

In fact only eight pupils from the village, each already with siblings at Prince Henry's, were offered places.

The decision shocked parents, who were then given ten days to lodge appeals with Education Leeds.

Those appeals were set to be heard in May, but yesterday Leeds City Council confirmed that for most of the families concerned they would no longer be necessary.

A spokesman said: "Due to pupil movement an extra 14 places have become available at Prince Henry's Grammar School, Otley.

"Parents of children at Bramhope Primary will be contacted informing them of this in the next few days.

"We expect there to be further pupil movement at the school which could free even more places for pupils from Bramhope Primary. All places will be allocated strictly in accordance with the Leeds School Admission Policy."

As it stands only five pupils from Bramhope Primary, plus a couple of others from the village, face the uncertainty of the appeals process.

For Paul Humphries, of The Sycamores, who was one of the parents who battled in 2002 for seven pupils to be allowed into Prince Henry's, the whole saga has induced an unpleasant sense of deja vu.

But yesterday Mr Humphries, whose son Mathew has been offered a place through the sibling rule, was delighted to hear from the Wharfedale Observer about the 14 new places.

He said: "I've spoken to a few parents about this and they are obviously over the moon, although I think they've been told to keep their heads down and stay quiet until everything is confirmed and the appeals process is finished.

"When we were going through this I was told that no-one in Bramhope who had fought this to the end had failed to get in, that's what I kept clinging onto.

"We had been told there's going to be some movement in places and a new list put together at the end of this month. Mathew's girlfriend is waiting to see and so are a lot of his friends - we just want them all to go there so they can stay together."

Although Bramhope enjoys long links with Prince Henry's, Education Leeds points out that Ralph Thoresby High School is nearer and is the 'natural' first choice secondary.

Bramhope Parish and Leeds City Councillor Clive Fox (Coin, Adel and Wharfedale), who has been liaising with Education Leeds over the issue, said: "It's heading in the right direction and I remain optimistic."