TEENAGERS put their entrepreneurial flair to the test at a young enterprise trade fair in Cowley.

About 220 students from 16 Oxfordshire schools descended on Templars Square Shopping Centre on Saturday promoting and selling products they created themselves.

Among the inventions on offer were high-tech wireless headphones, a carbon-fibre laptop stand and a range of mugs with cheesy slogans.

Budding entrepreneur Andrew Rippin and five classmates from Bartholomew School in Eynsham tried to flog their “mediocre mugs”.

The 16-year-old from Standlake said: “We were selling mugs we designed with slogans on them.

“They’re called Mediocre Mugs not because of the quality but because of the cheesy slogans.

“One of them had a picture of a T-Rex on the front holding a mug of tea, and the slogan said Tea-Rex.

“Another had a picture of some bacon and said ‘don’t go bacon my heart’ and then a picture of an egg that said ‘I couldn’t if I fried’.”

The Bartholomew School team traded from 8am until closing at 4pm and said they had “great fun”.

Year 12 pupil Andrew, who hopes to study architectural design at university, added: “ It’s our first trade fair so we didn’t really know what to expect, everyone really enjoyed it though.

“We’ll go back to the rest of our time and let them know how it went, we have meetings every Wednesday, and we’ve got three more trade fairs coming up too.”

The fair was part of the Company Programme set up by charity Young Enterprise, which challenges youngsters aged 15 to 19 to set up and run their own company for a year.

Students from Blessed George Napier, Bloxham, Cherwell, Headington, The Oxford Academy, Rye St Anthony, St Helen and St Katherine, Wheatley Park and Wychwood Schools also took part. They were divided into 22 teams, selling everything from phone accessories, jewellery and earphones to slate products and laptop cases.

A group of nine Year 10 students from Abingdon School tried to stir interest in their “Tone Ultra-Neckphone” – a headphone set which fits around the neck and uses wireless Bluetooth technology.

The team, who called their company Tetra, also showed off their Just Dock carbon fibre laptop stand.

Young Enterprise manager for Oxfordshire Alison Pexton said: “The YE Cowley Trade Fair is an excellent showcase for the achievements of these young budding entrepreneurs in developing their skills, knowledge and confidence in just one year.

“We are very grateful to Templars Square Shopping Centre and the Oxfordshire community for their continued support of this event.”