Young entrepreneurs have made it through to the finals of a national business competition after setting up their very own shelving company.

Nine Year 12 students at The Latymer School in Haselbury Road, Edmonton are battling for the title of London’s Best Company 2012 and a place in the UK finals of the HSBC Young Enterprise Innovation Awards.

The 17-year-olds launched Locked Up, making a profit selling free-standing shelving for school lockers.

The team sold 60 units to their fellow students at a first trade sale.

Teacher Clodagh Huggard said: “The team is delighted to have got into the London final.

“They gained a real appreciation for the amount of work and effort involved in running a company, developed excellent problem solving skills and learnt how to work cohesively as a team."

As part of the competition, young media entrepreneur Jamal Edwards, 21, will give the teenagers some words of advice at Canary Wharf on Monday, June 18.

Mr Edwards launched online youth broadcaster SB.TV and has helped propel artists like Ed Sheeran into the mainstream.

The Spirit of London Ambassador, said: “There are loads of kids out there right now starting from scratch and building up their own businesses.

“But we need to make sure everybody in school realises that going it alone is something they can do too. We need schemes like Young Enterprise to give them the confidence to do this.”