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Cambridge University increased its intake of state school students again this year, but students are demanding an investigation into the continued existence of an "old-boy" influence on admissions.

For the 1996 entry year, 48 per cent of accepted applicants came from "maintained" schools, compared to 45 per cent in 1995. There are now 1,374 students from state schools, compared to 1,269 from independent schools, with 225 entering from overseas.

Anne Newbould, of the Cambridge Intercollegiate Applications Office, said she was pleased with the findings. "The university's policy of widening access and encouraging able students from all backgrounds to apply is paying off."

Less pleased is the Cambridge University Students' Union, which called this week for all Cambridge colleges to "investigate their admissions procedures to ensure donations or college relations are not affecting decisions".

Neil McInnes, the union's academic affairs officer, said: "We deplore any influence that old members of a particular college could have on who gets in."

* Cambridge has blamed the Higher Education Funding Council's cap on home student entrants for a marked decline in the total number of admissions from 3,115 in 1995 to 2,868 this year.