Kirbie Kendal was one of 14 regional schools – out of 48 that entered – to reach the grand final of The Manufacturing Institute's Make It in Manufacturing Enterprising Challenge, sponsored by Robert Wiseman Dairies, at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton.

And while they didn't win, they had a great time setting up a dairy company, devising and marketing a new product, and creating and running a 21st century milk float that was as 'green' as the horse-drawn milk carts of long ago.

They also had to present their ideas to a Dragon's Den style panel made up of representatives from two of the biggest names in British business – Robert Wiseman Dairies and Tetra Pak.

Make It campaign manager Nicola Eagleton said: "The challenge for these youngsters was to develop imaginative solutions, then use all their creativity and skills of persuasion to market their ideas."

The Manufacturing Institute's Make It in Manufacturing campaign (www.makeit.org.uk) aims to promote manufacturing as an exciting and rewarding career destination. It embraces a range of high-profile education and awareness raising activities, all designed to introduce teenagers to the world of modern manufacturing and dispel negative images about dead-end and low-paid jobs.