PROSPECTIVE university students are being put off applying to Lancaster University after a patronising review in a widely-read handbook. The Push Guide to Universities, published by McGraw Hill, provides independent reports on universities across the country. But students eyeing up Lancaster face a less than flattering portrayal feature in the guide which brands the City as "Wet, windy and woeful" and "quaint as a Laura Ashley valance... with fast food restaurants designed to look like listed buildings."

It goes on to describe the university campus as "looking decidedly naff... isolated and very claustrophobic."

The hand book is available to all sixth-form colleges and schools and also mentions the university's playing fields as allegedly providing a fine harvest of magic mushrooms!

Although applications to the university has been oversubscribed for a number of years, the guide's down beat review could discourage future students. At one college in Lancashire, students said the guide has made them think twice. One said: "From this, Lancaster looks really dull and boring. If somewhere is described as quaint it can't be exciting, can it? It has a great academic record but social life is important. I'd rather go somewhere where I could have fun."

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