A SCHOOLGIRL who hit upon a ‘cracking’ business idea selling eggs has inspired a new award.

Emily Duffy, 13, from Alkerton near Banbury, started out giving away eggs from her flock of hens to her neighbours But when the orders started coming in she turned it into a business, delivering the eggs and even giving discounts for larger orders.

Last year, Banbury Women in Business was so impressed by Emily’s achievements that they awarded her a special accolade.

This year she has inspired the group to create a new category in their annual awards – the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Emily, a pupil at Sibford School in Sibford Ferris, said: “I am really pleased they decided to create a new category and I really hope that other young people will think about starting businesses too.

“After I won the award, I wanted to have more hens and expand the business, but we were limited by the space in our garden. My mum and dad then offered to lend me the money to build a new hen run in the field and we all set about building a properly fenced and netted enclosure to keep out foxes.

“From having a handful of hens in the garden and a few eggs a day we now have 23 layers and another 12 about to start laying in a few weeks time.”

Emily has bought a cockerel and hopes to hatch her own birds, as well as eventually selling her wares at farmers markets. A website for her business, Duff Eggs, is also in the pipeline.

Non-Lawyer Associate Jayne Lees, from Banbury Women in Business said: “Her lovely story was a natural catalyst to creating a new award for young entrepreneurs for 2012.

“We are looking forward to hearing how other 11 to 18-year-olds are starting business ventures and making money before they have even left education.”

All young people in the Banbury area are eligible and entry is open until September 15, 2012.

For details, go to www.banburywomeninbusiness.co.uk