A GROUP of teenagers have won top honours in a competition designed to find the best young business talent in Oxfordshire.

Pupils from Oxford High School formed their own company called Eclectic, and wrote, illustrated and published the children’s book Frideswide the Owl, before striking up deals to have it printed in India and China as well as the UK.

As a result, they claimed the overall title of Best Company at the Young Enterprise county finals, which are backed by the Oxford Mail, held at the Said Business School in Oxford.

Managing director Rosie Hore, 17, said: “This makes all our hard work worthwhile. We have a great team and although we have to liquidate the company at the end of the academic year, we will reform it to sell the book in India and China.

“The experience has encouraged us all to be entrepreneurs.”

As well as the overall title, Eclectic picked up the Challenge Cup for Marketing and Market Research and the award for the Best Financial Report, making it a triple celebration.

Eclectic managed to triumph over seven other companies in the hotly-contested final, including two other rival Oxford High School groups.

Their teacher Mike Gallagher said: “In all we had 35 girls taking part as Young Enterprise is something we really value.”

Eclectic will now go forward to the South East regional final of the competition on June 18.

Every company had to give a five-minute presentation to an audience of more than 200 business people, academics and teachers at the award ceremony.

Four other awards were shared by two teams from The School of St Helen and St Katharine, Abingdon, including the Oxford Mail Award for the Best Use of Publicity, picked up by Silhouette.

More than 500 students from 30 schools took part in Young Enterprise during the school year.

The winners will take part in a national final between July 6 and 8, and the overall winner will go on to represent the UK at the Junior Achievement event in Canada later in the year.

business@oxfordmail.co.uk ROLL OF HONOUR: The Business Link Award for Best Business Plan: RoXsolid, North Oxfordshire Academy, Banbury.

The JSP Cup for Manufacturing: A La Mode, Our Lady’s, Abingdon.

The Oxford Mail Award: Silhouette, The School of St Helen and St Katherine, Abingdon.

XL5 Award for the Best Website: Artemis, The School of St Helen and St Katherine, Abingdon.

JoJu Climate Change Award: Silhouette, The School of St Helen and St Katherine, Abingdon.

Award for the Best Display Stand: Artemis, The School of St Helen and St Katherine, Abingdon.

Award for the Best Financial Report: Eclectic, Oxford High School.

Award for the Best Presentation: Spice, Oxford High School.

The Challenge Cup for Marketing and Market Research: Eclectic, Oxford High School.

The Unipart Automotive Cup for the Best Company Report: Kite, Oxford High School.

The Oxfordshire Shield for the Best Company: Eclectic, Oxford High School.