A group of young entrepreneurs have scooped their first business awards - before even leaving school.

Skadoosh, an event promotion business set-up by 12 sixth form students at Prince Henry's Grammar School, Otley, is celebrating clinching two prestigious Leeds Young Achievers Awards.

The firm, only set up in November, was awarded the best trade stall and best marketing awards by the judges.

And Skadoosh won special praise for its strong brand image and for securing coverage in the local media, including the Telegraph & Argus thisisbradford website.

The firm also collected an award for its stall at a trade fair held at the White Rose Shopping Centre, which included a video projection wall.

The awards, won ahead of around 50 other Young Enterprise firms, follow a string of successful projects undertaken by Skadoosh.

The firm, run entirely by the 16- and 17-year-old students with the support of one teacher, is part of a scheme run by the national education charity Young Enterprise. It encourages youngsters to set-up and run real, registered businesses.

Skadoosh won widespread media coverage for a 'Battle of the Bands' competition which it organised at the Queen's Hotel, Leeds, with the promise of two days in a recording studio for the winning band.

At the White Rose Centre event, the firm sold CDs featuring the winning band, with customers given the chance to listen to the music via headphones and watch them on the video wall.

As well as its achievements as an events promotion company, the firm also ran a tuck shop at Prince Henry's which had to be shut down because it caused profits at the canteen to slump 60 per cent.

Skadoosh press officer Linda Haywood, 16, said the two awards were recognition of the hard work put in by directors.

"It took a lot of time ringing and faxing all the judges, venues, newspapers, and websites, but the hard work of the company has paid off," she said.

"We have put in as much effort as for any of our AS-level subjects, and now this has really paid off and we are really happy with it. Skadoosh is a promotion and marketing company above all else so our image is a really big thing to us."

Phil Pope, mentor to the firm, said: "I am proud of their achievements. I expect these will be the first of many awards to be won by this company."

For information about the firm and its future projects, visit www.skadoosh.com.