ENTREPRENEURS from a County Durham college are looking to the internet to help them retain their title as top business brains.

Youngsters from Fyndoune Community College, Sacriston, Durham, won the Future Business Magnates competition last year and hope to repeat the success.

The team of year eight pupils wanted to create a business that would be community orientated and designed a website, www.ifcom.org, to bring like-minded people together across the world.

Two members of last year's winning team - pupil Cameron Hall and teacher Lynda Dixon - are being hailed as the school's secret weapons.

Mrs Dixon said: "It is great to see, like last year, the students growing week by week. They have come up with different ideas, but the enthusiasm is just as strong. They know they have a big job on their hands to emulate last year's team but are certainly up for it."

Eight teams of between eight and ten students from schools across the region have entered the competition, which is supported by The Northern Echo and sponsored by Lafarge and Yorkshire Bank.

Judges award points for research, teamwork, creativity and originality, time management, planning and overall quality. The winners will be announced at an awards dinner at the Ramside Hall Hotel, near Durham, in July, and will get a prize of £3,000, as well as a trophy and £100 each.