BUSINESS brains at BNFL Westinghouse, at Springfields, near Preston, have donated £700 for the children's charity ChildLine after winning the cash in a top competition.

The ten business graduates, who work at the Springfields UK Fuel Business, entered the annual Business and Investment Management game (BIMG) run by the University of East Anglia.

Steve Whitehead, community relations manager, said: "As part of our employee involvement programme we are asking employees at Springfields to raise up to £2,000 for ChildLine before the end of the financial year.

"BNFL will match this amount so that £4,000 can be donated to sponsor the recruitment and training of two new counselling volunteers for the charity in Lancashire."

A total of 150 teams from across the UK entered the business game and the top teams progressed to the next rounds. Eventually five teams were left to battle it out in the final.

Springfields' team captain, Darren Derbyshire, said: "Each round was split into six weekly trading periods and a decision sheet was submitted at the end of each period detailing investments, pricing policy, production output, marketing policy etc.

"The aim was to maximise profit then this was translated into a company balance sheet detailing the results, profit and cash available."

The BIMG has been described as "the business equivalent of a flight simulator" enabling managers to test out their business ideas in a safe environment. Pitting their wits against opposing teams, players enjoy the agonies and ecstasies of the hunt for a market share as they compete against other teams in manufacturing its product for a number of markets.

Although Springfields didn't win the main prize, they reached the semi-final stage and each was successful in a 'newcomers' category.

Jenny Finch, corporate fund raising assistant for ChildLine North West said: "This contribution will mean that ChildLine North West will be able to answer more calls and provide a vital service to the local community."