BUDDING young entrepreneurs from Hampshire have gone head to head in the first round of a national enterprise competition in Southampton on May 8.

Students from across the county will be flexing their business know-how to compete in the first stage of a national Young Enterprise competition at the Oasis Academy Mayfield.

Teams from five schools will be vying for the prize of best company for central and west Hampshire with the top two teams are get to go through to the next stage of the competition - the Hampshire County Finals at the Ordnance Survey Head Office on May 22.

Students from Henry Beaufort School in Winchester, St Anne's School Southampton, Test Valley School Stockbridge, Oasis Academy Mayfield and Ballard School in New Milton, will all be taking part.

More than 170 teenagers across Hampshire have taken part in the Young Enterprise Company Programme this year and set up a total of 14 businesses with help from volunteers as part of the competition.

Tina Braithwaite, young enterprise manager for Central and West Hampshire, said: “The students will showcase the products and services they've developed in the past year and will be grilled by our expert panel of judges who will be scrutinising their business reports and profit margins.

“We've seen some great businesses set up by young people in the central and west Hampshire area this year and I wish all the students the best of luck.”