MORE than 100 teenagers gathered in Cowley to give shoppers a glimpse of the entrepreneurs of the future.

The youngsters, representing schools from across Oxfordshire, set up their stalls at the Templars Square Shopping Centre for the Young Enterprise scheme.

ZaZu from Burford School scooped the Best Trade Stand and Innovation awards for their clocks made from old records.

Managing director Ruan Brink, 17, said: “We want to appeal to the nostalgia market and also the environment is very important to us, so everything is recycled. We found the records advertised in newspapers and at Stanton Harcourt refuse centre and we made the hands using off-cuts.”

Members of the Write Green team from Faringdon Community College sold 70 of their colourful key rings at three for £1.

Director Emma Garrard, 16, said: “It has been a really good experience. We have learnt a lot about teamwork. Now we are looking to sell them to primary schools as we think they will appeal to young children.”

Pupils from Wychwood School in Banbury Road wrote and published their own cookbook for their company Oxograph. Contributors included the Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev John Pritchard.

Company secretary Emily Mason said: “We have raised about £600 since setting up the firm and we have more than covered our costs.”

The Young Enterprise scheme involves students setting up and running their own businesses throughout the course of an academic year before liquidating them in the summer.

Successful firms will compete to win the county final in May and go through to the regional and national finals later in the year.

Gordon Beach, chairman of the Oxfordshire Young Enterprise strategic board, said: “It has been a fantastic event with more companies taking part than in previous years.

“We look forward to hearing a lot more from these firms as the year progresses.”

Results: Best Business Plan: Arc-Tec, North Oxford Academy. Innovation: ZaZu, Burford School. Best Customer Service: Azure, Oxford High School. Best Trade Stand: ZaZu, Burford School.