YOUNG aspiring business leaders from a Durham City school have soared to the top of the table in a high-profile competition.

The team of entrepreneurs from St Leonard's RC School have leapt into the lead in the Future Business Magnates competition.

Not only did the team score an impressive 59 marks out of 70 - the best of the ten schools vying for the title - but they doubled their total by playing their joker.

Team leader Juliana Blackie said: "We are so proud of our pupils who have worked so hard and with enthusiasm."

Head of year Marie-Louise Page was equally thrilled. She said: "The pupils have really responded to the challenge and are enjoying developing different skills as they become more familiar with the world of business."

St Leonard's is now 61 points ahead of second place Fyndoune College, although the Sacriston school is yet to play its joker which could close the gap in the nine-month contest.

The competition, launched in September by former Newcastle United manager Sir Bobby Robson, sees schools from across Durham compete in a series of challenges to find the business magnates of the future.

Devised by the Durham District Partnership and backed by The Northern Echo, Yorkshire Bank and Lafarge, pupils have been teamed up with mentors from the business community to meet a series of monthly challenges, leading up to the announcement of the overall winner at an awards dinner next June at the Ramside Hall Hotel.

The first challenge - "What do I need to make it in business?" - was judged by Margaret Fay of regional development agency One NorthEast.

Ron Batty, chairman of the Local Strategic Partnership, said: "The first challenge is always the hardest: the schools don't know what they are up against and I would have hoped that all of the schools would have learned from the process and in particular from the comments of judge Margaret Fay.

"St Leonard's took a real risk of using their joker on the first challenge and they are now well ahead, but everyone else has a chance of catching up."

Not that St Leonard's or any of the other schools will have a chance to rest on their laurels - the deadline for the second challenge, called "What Do The Departments Do?", is next Thursday.

* Follow the progress of Future Business Magnates at www.businessecho.co.uk