A CRAPSTONE youngster saw success with his team of Plymouth College sixth formers at the national business competition, Student Investor.

Tom Watkins, 17, was part of the team Ladies Go Long, who won the national final of Student Investor and walked away with £2,000 for Plymouth College, £200 each and an educational trip to New York.

Run by the ifs School of Finance, more than 40,000 students from 1,000 schools participated in the competition. It involved students investing a fantasy £100,000 in the stock market over a four-month period. The teams with the greatest investment growth progressed to one of four regional finals to compete in a head-to-head quiz. 

The top two teams from each region went forward to the national final, where the first challenge was to design a sustainable activity or event in a school. The Ladies Go Long team's idea was to hold a ball where all the electricity for the event was powered by people on bikes.

The final challenge was to give a presentation on the question How socially useful is banking? The students presented to a judging panel that included Lawrence Gold from the BBCs The Bank of Mum and Dad, David Budworth deputy personal finance editor at the Times and the Rev Dr Giles Fraser, canon chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral.

Tom said: 'We are delighted that all of our hard work has paid off. The ifs Student Investor challenge has been a truly wonderful experience with every stage being trying and challenging, while at the same time developing skills such as teamwork, presentation skills and financial awareness.'

This is Tom's second national win in the last six months after being part of a team that won Make Your Mark with an innovative on-line homework planner in December.