Breathing new life into old china cups and saucers has landed a group of teenagers a top business award.

Twice Loved, a company run by eight sixth formers from Caldew School in Dalston, was crowned the best company at the north Cumbria finals of this year's Young Enterprise competition.

The year 12 students scoured salvage yards and second-hand shops to source items they could upcycle and sell to make a profit.

Products included candles created from cups and saucers, dinner plates turned into clocks and upcycled chairs.

Twice Loved members were guided by Cheryl Eastburn, Caldew School's Young Enterprise lead staff member, and advisers Dan Palmer and Debbie Harrison, from Cumberland Building Society.

Young Enterprise is a national competition which invites groups of teenagers to set up and run their own companies over the course of an academic year.

Teams from schools and colleges across Cumbria take part.

Caldew School's company won the top award at the local final held at the Crown & Mitre Hotel in Carlisle on Wednesday night.

Twice Loved is now through to the county final which takes place on April 26, again at the Carlisle city centre hotel.

They will be joined by Cumbria Cash Cows, the company from The Nelson Thomlinson School in Wigton, which was named runner-up after designing a financial education board game for young children.

They will face rivals from west and south Cumbria, including Fold from Cockermouth School.

Managing director Elizabeth Read leads fellow female students Emelia Burbury, Hannah Smaile, Francesca Grimshaw, Rosie Steele, Jess Hewitt, Abby Watson and Hope Lawson at Twice Loved.

Elizabeth said: "We were delighted to win, but surprised as we knew we were up against stiff competition from the other schools.

"We will now concentrate on taking on board the judge’s comments from the evening to improve even further ahead of the county finals next month. We wish all the other competitors the best of luck too."

Cheryl Eastburn, centre lead for Young Enterprise at Caldew School, said: "Their recycle, re-use theme went down well and you could see the effort and creativity that the girls had put into their products.

"They have worked very hard on making their stand look simple and stylish and using only recycled materials."

Teacher Steph Walker, from The Nelson Thomlinson School in Wigton, said: "By nature, our team members are quite shy and none have ever experienced public speaking.

"So, to stand up and present so professionally to a large audience was a superb achievement and to come away with the award for best presentation was an added bonus.

"As a very small team, they have had to work harder than ever to divide up the vast amount of work that goes into the company programme and so it was lovely to see their hard work rewarded."