Only a "miracle" will stop a leading university pulling out of a pioneering education facility, campaigners feared last night.

Glasgow University is expected to confirm today that it will not admit new students at Crichton in Dumfries, the UK's first multi-institutional campus.

As the fate of the facility is being decided, a visit to Crichton by Sir Muir Russell, principal of Glasgow University, to talk about the future of higher education, has been described as "hypocritical".

Glasgow University officials have criticised the Scottish Funding Council for not providing sufficient money. The council disputes this.

David Mundell, the Shadow Scottish Secretary and Dumfries MP, said the pull-out would be a "body blow" to the area. He said he was bracing himself for the worst after meeting to argue his case with the court secretary.

The Conservative MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, said: "Only a miracle is going to save Glasgow University on the Crichton Campus. The indications are that there will be no new undergraduates. It would be a body blow to the campus - the courses cannot be picked up by other institutions."

He added: "The only way I can see this being turned around is by direct intervention by the First Minister."

Glasgow University has blamed its threatened pull-out on an annual £800,000 deficit at Crichton, where around 260 currently study a variety of liberal arts courses.

The future of around 40 university staff at Crichton remains to be determined in the event of a withdrawal.

The university maintains it has not received enough money to continue in the campus, which also houses Paisley University, Bell College and Dumfries & Galloway College.

A spokeswoman for the SFC said its council had decided the university's grant - £147m last year - was "sufficient".

Jack McConnell, First Minister, supports the SFC's strategy.