Top teenage entrepreneurs from an Oxford school are celebrating after winning a major award.

The group from Iffley Mead School, picked up the trophy for Best Team Company at the Young Enterprise Team Programme Celebration held at the King's Centre, Osney Mead, Oxford, on Tuesday. march 13 The youngsters, all aged 16, started their firm, Bizee Beads, in September. The celebration was part of a scheme to experience what it is like to run a company during the course of an academic year with the help of teachers and business advisers.

Since then they have been busy making and selling items including greetings cards and jewellery in the school, at trade fair events and through the Imperial Cancer Research shop in Wantage and Iffley post office, raising £550 to date.

Team member Thomas Williamson said: "We have worked very hard and we are really proud of what we have achieved."

Colleague Charlie White added: "We are so pleased to be the best Team company in Oxfordshire."

The school's Young Enterprise activities have hit national prominence when they were recently mentioned during a debate in parliament on special educational needs provision by Oxford East MP Andrew Smith.

Other winners at the awards were Crazy Creations from Bartholomew School, Eynsham for Best Display Stand, and Sparks from Amersham and Wycombe College for Best Use of Technology.

The Young Enterprise competition is backed by the Oxford Mail and the next major events will be area finals of the Company Programme to select the best school businesses from across the county.

The county finals will be held at the Said Business School, Oxford, on May 10.