Young Sir Alan Sugars from Penwortham Priory Sports and Technology College have been told they must hand back the gongs they won at the Chorley and South Ribble finals of the Young Enterprise competition.

The team, Gimme Five, was named overall winner and also honoured for the best trade stand and best presentation by a panel of judges who were impressed by their soup project.

The popular contest involves schoolchildren setting up a financially sound mini-business venture and developing it with experts.

But headteacher Jim Hourigan has been told to give the trophies back and is now at loggerheads with national bosses from the competition, because the fresh food they used doesn't have a three-month shelf life.

The head was told that the school's entry breached three rules – they had grown their own herbs, it was not properly labelled and that the children had touched the ingredients. The school either denied or said they could easily rectify all three of these issues.

But the organisers said the food was too fresh and that entries had to have a shelf life of three months.

Mr Hourigan said: "We have a long history with the competition and have a great tradition of winning. We were very proud to win again and the kids were delighted on Monday.

"Then, on Tuesday, a woman came into school and told me we had been disqualified."

Mr Hourigan has refused to part with the silverware and said: "The pupils have done nothing wrong. The school has done nothing wrong.

"We presented a business plan, which was accepted, and have worked with advisers all the way through.

"Nothing was ever said about us using fresh produce at any stage."

The scheme involved the youngsters sourcing locally grown fresh produce, which was put together in a pack along with various soup recipes compiled by the school's Lancashire Young Chef of the Year winner Sam Black, and sold to the public.

'Absurd'

Mr Hourigan said the key issue now appeared to be that pupils used fresh food.

He said: "They are doing what has been asked of them, promoting healthy eating and using local producers. It is absurd.

"I am not prepared to hand back the trophies and the students are determined to set up their own company and sell their produce."

Young Enterprise's operations director Peter Guy said he was unable to comment in detail as he had not been at the district final but added: "The Young Enterprise company in question did break the rules by trading in organic vegetables. That is not allowed."

Priory had been due to represent the district in the county heat of the competition tonight (Friday).

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