A GROUP of young enterprise academy students are honing their entrepreneurial skills by running pop-up shops at the region’s biggest retail outlet.

Students from The Peter Jones Enterprise Academy at East Durham College, in Peterlee, have been working on a business idea as part of their course – and have brought their ideas to Dalton Park, near Murton, to put them to the consumer test.

During the week two teams will be battling it out to see who can realise the most profits, with all proceeds going to their chosen charities.

Course lecturer Jill Campbell said: “Ten students on the course were split into two teams of five and had to come up with social enterprise businesses, giving something back to the community at the same time.

“One of the teams went for the healthy option and developed a healthy sugar-coated cupcake, while the other team has recycled old clothing to make bags and purses.

“It has been going really well.”

The pop-up shops will be open until Saturday.

The students are on a business enterprise course, leading to a Level 3 diploma in enterprise and entrepreneurship.

The academy was founded by entrepreneur and star of Dragons’ Den, Peter Jones, with the view to encouraging more entrepreneurial activity within the UK, based on a philosophy of learning by doing.