ALL but one East Lancashire higher education institution still have openings despite the scramble for university places after this year’s A-level results.

Colleges and university centres in the area still have spaces on degree-level courses such as mechanical engineering, education and film and digital media.

However, the University of Central Lancashire’s Burnley campus has no places left.

Accrington and Rossendale College, Blackburn College and St Mary’s College are among many higher education bodies across the country that currently have a handful of vacancies.

After A-level results day the university and admission service, UCAS said that 136,000 people were chasing 46,000 university places.

Accrington and Rossendale College has between 20 to 30 places available on full- and part-time courses including health and applied social studies, education and professional development and computing.

But they are confident they will be filled.

Blackburn College has places available in subjects such as journalism, financial services and mechanical engineering.

St Mary’s also has full- and part-time degrees in English, sport and health, education and management of information and enterprise.

Director of learner services at Blackburn, Barry Griffiths, said: “Students need to remember that going through the clearing process doesn’t mean they’ve failed – it’s merely an extension of the application process.

“There’s no doubt this year’s clearing process has been challenging.”

Yana Williams, vice-principal at Blackburn College, said: “We still have places available on some of our courses so it’s still not too late to apply.”

Martin Brown, of University of Central Lancashire’s Burnley Campus, said: “It’s certainly been a bumper year with applications up 100 per cent.”