MONKEY Business is serious stuff for students at Greenfield School Community and Arts College, who enjoyed double success in an enterprise contest.

A team from the college, in Newton Aycliffe, won two awards in the Young Enterprise Durham area final.

Their venture, called Monkey Business, which was established by eight year ten students in October, makes hand-made cards, roses, pot pourri bags, friendship bracelets and lucky charms. It won the awards for best overall company and best report in the annual competition.

Monkey Business will go forward to represent the county in a regional final in the Gosforth Marriott Hotel, Newcastle, on June 17. A national final will be held in London, on July 13.

Gemma Porter, managing director, said: "Our team has worked really hard to make Monkey Business a success and now we have been rewarded for our efforts.

"Each of us has learnt so much about running a business. It has been a great experience and we are really looking forward to competing in the regional final next month."

Catherine Marchant, chief executive of Young Enterprise North-East, said: "Once again the standard of entries for our Durham area final was extremely high and the judges had a very difficult time deciding on the winners.

"Monkey Business, and indeed all those that took part in the competition, have proved that there is certainly no shortage of creative thinking in our schools."

Six schools competed in the Durham final. Winners included Heavenly Scent, from Durham High School, Filon, from Staindrop School, and Helen Ferguson, from Framwellgate Moor School.