Tiny tycoons from Cumbrian schools were celebrated on Monday after they showed their business sense in a regional competition.

The Bright Stars competition, organised by the Centre for Leadership Performance, challenged 22 Cumbrian primary schools to build their own business from a £50 investment.

Each school was paired with a company or organisation to mentor the children as they developed their ideas over the eight-week programme.

The schools raised more than £13,000, with the money going to charities chosen by the schools and cash awards given to the best performers.

Alex Wilkinson, executive officer of Cumbria Primary Headteachers' Association, was chairman of the judges.

He said: "We were impressed most of all by the sheer breadth of the creative ideas.

"At the end of the day most of them came from the children and there was a lot of hard work to make them happen.

"It's really important for the children to understand that what they've done is worthwhile and valuable.

"It also touches every aspect of the curriculum."

Broughton Primary School won the award for best business idea with the help of Innovus.

Pupils produced calendars then travelled around the village taking photographs of landmarks which they painted and framed for sale.

Jessica Beck, 11, said: "I enjoyed all of it really, it was nice to be creative and come up with our own ideas.

"I liked hearing what Innovus had to say about our plan."

Adrian Davis-Johnston, programme director at Innovus, added: "It was incredibly inspirational to see them work.

"You get children who really do come out of their shell and ask lots of probing questions."

Maryport Junior School youngsters worked with Iggesund Paperboard and were highly commended for their business know-how after they organised a spring fair with stalls and games.

They produced gifts using buttons and Scrabble letters which they sold and even had orders placed from outside the school.

Pupils Jessica Jarvis, 11, and Keely Melville, 10, said they loved making things for the event and felt it had gone very well.