A BUSINESS minded Runcorn schoolboy has been judged the best Young Enterprise student in Merseyside - beating off hundreds of rivals to scoop the accolade.

James Gardner, 15, of The Grange School, won the Young Enterprise Student of the Year award, in association with Gifts4You.

Youngsters were required to run their own companies as part of Young Enterprise’s company team programme.

They were responsible for setting up businesses, marketing their product and managing their own accounts.

Cllr Tom McInerney (children and young people) said: “Congratulations to James, but also everyone who took part in the exercise. They put such a lot in and no doubt got a lot out of the project.”