A-LEVEL students in Preston were disappointed after MPs endorsed Prime Minister Tony Blair's controversial university funding bill by a slim majority.

Local Labour MPs, including South Ribble representative David Borrow supported Mr Blair in the vote, afterwards admitting he still had reservations about the proposals.

But Preston MP Mark Hendrick backed the Prime Minister claiming the new fees are good news for local students.

In the Commons vote, 316 MPs voted to introduce higher tuition fees for university students, while 311 of their colleagues including 72 Labour rebels voted against giving the bill a second reading.

But students at Preston College fear the decision could plunge them into a life of debt.

Andrew Stirling, 19, a maths, law and business studies student, said: "The maintenance grant will simply not even be enough to buy food. I want to go to Manchester Met to study law but I know I'm probably going to have to go to the University of Central Lancashire because I just can't afford to live away from home."

The proposals include raising tuition fees to £3,000, giving students whose parents earn less than £15,200 a £2,700 grant plus a smaller sum of cash for families earning up to £33,000.

Heather Smith, 19, from Chorley, said: "I think they need to compromise and find some middle ground because it's not fair to rely on students for the funds."

Andrew Quinney, 19, also from Chorley, plans to study Film and Media at Leeds Metropolitan University. He said: "It's just too much money to be paying and I'm going to be in a lot of debt."

Mr Borrow said he voted with the Government because it gives students the chance of receiving grants. He said: "There are some good ideas in the bill, like ensuring students from the poorest families get grants and only having to pay back the money when they are earning more than £15,000,"

"But I am concerned that if the £3,000 tuition fee cap is lifted, the gulf between the University of Central Lancashire and the Oxfords and Cambridges of this world will increase. It is important our local university is allowed to flourish."

Mr Hendrick said: "It's a better programme than what's there at the moment because it removes all up-front tuition fees and brings back the grant system.

"No one will be asked to pay anything back beforehand, only when they are in full time work and earning over £15,000. And it's made much easier because it's linked to the level of earnings."