Students are being urged to consider staying in 'digs' as the hunt for college accommodation heats up.

Over 70,000 people will get their leaving cert results next week driving up demand for homes near campuses.

The latest figures show a record number of bedrooms now being rented in family homes.

Kelly Coyle, the welfare officer at the UCC student union, said: “Digs is coming up a lot now to try and combat the amount of students towards the lack of rooms.”

“We would try to get elderly people to rent out rooms to students and then they can help around the house and that,” she added.