UP to 70 students could be left without anywhere to live when they start university because so many people have been admitted on to courses through clearing.

The last-minute rush for accommodation has meant Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) is now frantically trying to find private landlords to put up the extra students in Crewe.

And it is also appealing to families in the town to consider renting out their spare rooms to undergraduates.

The problems have been sparked by unprecedented demand for university places this year, with MMU one of many universities swamped by candidates with good A-level grades.

Although institutions face fines if they recruit too many students, the cap is based on the total number of degree places offered by a university.

At MMU's Crewe campus, an extra 150 students have been admitted through clearing. But as there are still some spare degree places at its other sites in Manchester, the university has kept within its overall limit.

Officials say out of the additional students coming to Crewe in September, 70 have indicated they don't yet have anywhere to live.

Claire Twaites, head of campus and residential services, said: "Most students will inevitably make their own living arrangements. But we are keen to do everything we can to help them, so we are making an appeal to private residents."

She stressed taking in a student could provide a family or single homeowner with an extra income of £60 to £75 a week.

MMU Cheshire has 3,800 students and around 1,000 of them can be accommodated in university halls of residence. But these blocks, including the 800-room Booth Hall, are now oversubscribed.

This summer, the university closed its Alsager campus and moved all its South Cheshire courses to Crewe.

But a university spokesman said this was not a significant factor in the accommodation pressures as only about 100 students had lived in halls in Alsager.

He added: "We are trying to grow student numbers at Crewe anyway. It just makes it more of a university experience.

"The issue is linked to two things. It is the extra students at MMU Cheshire and the fact they have come through clearing so haven't had much time to think about accommodation.

"There were a lot of good people who applied through clearing and they deserved to get on a course."

Residents who can offer student lodgings are being urged to ring the university's accommodation office on 0161 247 2000. They can also advertise accommodation through the Student Pad website by logging on to www.mmucheshirestudentpad.co.uk.

The university as a whole took a record 170,000 calls on the opening day of clearing. Degree places snapped up at Crewe through clearing included English, drama, music, psychology, and sport and exercise science.