A mum is calling for reform of the school's application process after her daughter was refused a place at an Epsom school - even though she lives next door.

Justine Banks, of Christ Church Mount, originally lived out of the catchment area for Stamford Green School in Epsom but was in the process of buying her current home, which is next door to the primary school.

When she contacted the council bosses to ask whether she could put her prospective home down as her address on the application form, she was told she would have to wait until she had exchanged contracts.

However, this meant that her application was a few weeks' late and she lost her chance of getting her four-year-old daughter a place at the school.

Mrs Banks is upset that some parents have put down addresses where they do not live, simply to guarantee a place for their child, and was stunned when she was told no checks on addresses were made.

Mrs Banks said: "I appealed the decision and had to go in front of a panel last week.

"The admissions officer at Surrey County Council was there and I asked what checks are made.

"She categorically told us you do not need proof of address and they never check the addresses submitted. It's absolutely incredible."

She added: "They never even do spot checks. Why shouldn't the parents have to take in proof of their address such as when you join a library or a video store? It's just incredible.

"I know for a fact that there are people who put addresses down when they had not exchanged and they just hoped they would have done so by September."

A spokeswoman for the council said people with information relating to false addresses could contact them confidentially.

She added: "It is not the general rule that we check addresses as we receive 30,000 admissions each year.

"But if an allegedly fraudulent address is reported to us, we will investigate it.

"If it is substantiated, a place will then be withdrawn from them."