More than one in 10 applications for Surrey secondary school places for next September were from London.

Nearly 1,700 of the record 11,000 applications came from bordering London boroughs such as Croydon, Sutton and Kingston, accounting for 15 per cent of the total.

Many of the applications were for schools in Esher, Epsom, Caterham and Sunbury.

Linda Kemeny, Surrey County Council cabinet member for schools and learning, said: "Surrey has some of the best state schools in the country and it's clear that the high quality education they offer continues to attract a large number of Londoners."