A special helpline for students waiting to find out if their A-level grades have been improved has been set up by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas).

The helpline number has been put in place as a "back-up" in case students cannot reach their former schools or colleges to find out if their results are affected by a review of this year's results.

Head of the independent inquiry into allegations of grade fixing, Mike Tomlinson, ordered the exams boards to send out the revised results to schools and colleges by Tuesday 15 October.

But many students were still anxiously waiting for the results to arrive on Tuesday morning, after weeks of wondering where they stood.

Few will actually see an improvement in their grades - just 1,220 A-level and 733 AS-level results have been upgraded.

And only 168 will be eligible to take up missed university places.

Easy call

Ucas said many youngsters may not be able to get in touch with their schools easily if they had already started at university in another part of the country.

"We appreciate that many students have already left home for university or college and they may not be able to return to their examination centre to collect their results," said Anthony McClaran, Ucas deputy chief executive.

"We have agreed with the awarding bodies that higher education students who have been through the Ucas system for 2002 entry can phone the Ucas helpline to find out whether their grades have changed.

"We will also be able to advise them on the options open to them."

The special helpline number is 01242 22 77 88.