A PRIZE-winning tea business started by enterprising students is drawing to a close as the programme ends.

Eight level 3 business diploma students at Shrewsbury College successfully developed the tea company after discovering the British public drink over 160 million cups of tea a day.

Their quirky brand Novel Tea marketed products such as an Olympics inspired Sport-Tea and a spicy variety called Balt-Tea.

The company went head to head last month with 20 other Young Enterprise businesses from Shropshire at a special event at Greenhous Meadow Stadium.

They won the best customer interaction and awareness award as well as scooping two runner-up prizes.

Student Josh Allen said: "We thought Young Enterprise would be an easy way to make money, but we had to really knuckle down and work hard.

“I work part-time as a chef at the moment and want to run my own restaurant someday. The project has definitely been beneficial and we've all learnt a lot."

Shrewsbury College business lecturer, Kate Wilde, added: "I am really proud of what the students have achieved this year, especially their efforts at the trade fairs they attended in Shrewsbury and Telford.

“They performed extremely well as a team and interacted professionally with the public. They are now in the process of shutting the company down.

“This involves paying their creditors and shareholders a dividend and closing down bank accounts."