A team of budding entrepreneurs have shot up the table in the race to be named Durham's Future Business Magnates.

After a brilliant performance in the competition's third round, Team One from Durham Community Business College have leapt from sixth in the league table up to second place - cutting St Leonard's lead down to just 15 points.

Enterprising youngsters from ten schools are battling it out over the next nine months in the Future Business Magnates contest to find the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

During the third challenge - designing a business plan - the college team scored 57 points, finishing joint top in the round with Durham High School For Girls.

But the college team played its joker to double their score to 114 points and really open up the race to win the prestigious competition.

However, St Leonard's, who have led the table since the start of the competition, remain in pole position to win the title.

St Leonard's have teamed up with business mentors from the Durham Marriott Hotel Royal County, who are offering advice and insights to help them to business success.

General manager Andrew Glover said: "I feel that the key to the success of our team has been the way in which we, as the representatives of the Durham Marriott Hotel Royal County, have been able to provide a framework and perhaps just the right amount of constructive criticism and encouragement for a rather wonderful group of students and staff from St Leonard's School.

"I feel that 'things can only get better' as our success is based upon mutual respect and a thorough appreciation of the need for a professional attitude at all times."

Ron Batty, chairman of the economic policy group of the Local Strategic Partnership, said: "We're almost halfway - and all of the Future Business Magnates teams are seeing first-hand what challenges there are when running a business.

"I think in the rest of the contest, there will be some stiff competition for the top prize and I would advise all teams to take full notice of the judge's comments."

The competition, launched in September by former Newcastle United and England manager Sir Bobby Robson, sees schools from across Durham compete in a series of business challenges.

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.

The results of the challenges contribute points to a league table, with an overall winner to be announced at an awards dinner in June at the Ramside Hall Hotel.