University students have played a key role in developing fledgling' firms across the district.

Fifteen undergraduates spent the summer working with small to medium-sized enterprises as part of a national scheme.

The Shell Step programme, developed by Shell UK and co-ordinated by the University of Bradford, aims to give students the chance to showcase skills learnt during their time in higher education.

To mark the end of the programme, participants gave presentations and were judged on their work by a panel of business experts at the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television.

University of Nottingham student Danny Marsland, 20, was awarded £200 and will go through to the Shell Step regional final in Newcastle after impressing judges with his work for Bradford-based Red Embedded Design.

Danny, from Leeds, said: "I found out about the programme after looking at the University of Bradford website. I learned a lot working with Red Embedded Design and would recommend the programme to anyone." While with the company, at business start-up centre Velocity, Danny, currently studying electronic and computer engineering, helped develop a programming code for an American digital TV broadcaster.

Bradford University marketing student Carla Alleyne, 26, was runner-up after working for Shipley-based PAWA Consulting Ltd.

Carla moved to Bradford to study from Trinidad and Tobago. She said: "I worked on communications and marketing projects with the company which involved working on marketing literature and the website.

"I very much enjoyed it - it has given me valuable experience - and the company also invited me to work for a further two weeks after the summer programme ended."

University of Bradford Shell Step manager Melanie Powell said: "The aim of the programme was to try to get local businesses interacting and working on strategic projects with students.

"This year all the students have been superb, with the employers all saying they would love to have them back for good if it were not for the fact that they all have at least one more year to go at university."

e-mail: dan.webber@bradford.newsquest.co.uk