BUDDING businesses competed for the coveted East Lancashire Young Enterprise crown.

Pupils from schools from throughout the area launched and ran their own business ventures and the best won places in the finals.

Overall winners were Elan, a business set up and run by pupils at Longridge County High School

Their venture published a storybook written and illustrated by local primary school pupils. The school also produced a stool for children.

As well as collecting a shield and £100, the pupils also won the award for most innovative product for a children's room tidy based on a moose's head.

They will now go through to the North West final in Wigan next month.

Runners-up were Magnet Eyes from Fisher More High School, Nelson who won £50 and the ELTEC cup.

Their venture produced table lamps, jewellery boxes, memo pads and pencil holders.

The team also won an award for achieving highest sales at a trade fair.

Other special awards were won by candle firm Flamin' Hot from Ribblesdale High School and team member Deborah Croft won the Dale Carnegie Personal Development Scholarship award for best achiever.

Gulshan Akhtar of Alder Grange High School, Rossendale, won an award for the pupil who had gained the most from taking part in the competition.

Sponsors of this year's awards, presented at Mytton Fold Farm, Langho, included Oakmount Associates, Farmhouse Biscuits, Consumer Response, the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, and Daniel Thwaites.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.