TINY four and five-year-olds look set to become some of the country’s youngest entrepreneurs thanks to a little leg-up from their older friends.

Reception pupils from Avon-wood Primary, in Bournemouth, have just launched a social enterprise scheme in which they hope to raise money for their school from a new vegetable plot.

The budding businessmen and women are growing a range of fruit and vegetables which they plan to sell in the summer.

Helping them grow the business idea are nine Year 11 students from sister school Avonbourne College, including Kelsey Lodder, Samantha Hyde and Jade Hann.

The nine girls held fundraising events to buy seeds for the little ones and have helped them label and plant the produce.

Head of Avonwood, Annie Dowling, said: “This is our very first step-up into the business world and we’re all very excited.

“It’s a great way of showing our children that by working hard at something you can produce tangible results – and in this case hopefully buy some lovely new equipment for our classrooms.”

Avonwood opened in September last year as an extension of the Avonbourne Trust, which also runs Avonbouren College, Harewood College and the Avonbourne Sixth Form.

Executive head Debbie Godfrey-Phaure, said: “As a Business Academy we very much encourage an entrepreneurial spirit amongst all our students.

“When we opened the primary school we wanted our youngest students to also embrace this ethos and share the knowledge and expertise that has been gained by our older students. It’s wonderful to see this happening at such a young age.”