State school applications to Oxford University have fallen following last summer's controversy over the Laura Spence affair.

Despite a late surge of applications, official figures show demand from the state sector has dropped to 54 per cent from 56 per cent last year.

Chancellor Gordon Brown described the rejection of the high-flying Tyneside teenager by Magdalen College in July as "scandalous" and claims of elitism followed. Until the row, the University had expected demand from the state sector to keep growing. Last year, the number of applicants from the state sector rose from 52 per cent to 56 per cent. This year's fall was regretted by the University's vice-chancellor, Dr Colin Lucas.

He said: "Despite all our very considerable efforts, we're disappointed that there is no increase in the numbers of applications to Oxford from state school pupils.

"Indeed the number has fallen slightly, against an overall rise in applications. We felt we had begun to make real progress in encouraging more students from the maintained sector to apply to Oxford.

"However, we will continue undeterred our efforts to encourage every bright student, irrespective of background, to consider applying."

Initiatives to attract state school pupils to Oxford included a Sutton Trust Summer School in July, attended by 240 potential applicants.