Search for TeV Strings and New Phenomena in Bhabha Scattering at CERN LEP2

A combined analysis of the data on Bhabha scattering at centre-of-massenergies 183 and 189 GeV from the LEP experiments ALEPH, L3 and OPAL isperformed to search for effects of TeV strings in quantum gravity models withlarge extra dimensions. No statistically significant deviations from theStandard Model expectations are observed and lower limit on the string scaleM_S = 0.631 TeV at 95 onfidence level is derived. The data are used to setlower limits on the scale of contact interactions ranging from 4.2 to 16.2 TeVdepending on the model. In a complementary analysis we derive an upper limit onthe electron size of 2.8 x 10^{-19} m at 95 onfidence level.