ENTERPRISING young entrepreneurs are creating a buzz with their latest invention.

Sixth formers from Ripon Grammar School in Ripon are making hotels for bees as part of a Young Enterprise competition encouraging students to set up their own business.

The 12-strong team will show off their handy work, as well as their marketing plans, in Harrogate next week when they will compete against other schools and colleges in the region.

Student Grace Eyles, who is part of the sales team for the project, said: “Our brief was to create our own product, do all the finance and go to trade fairs, as well as draw up a long-term plan for the project.

“We chose bee hotels because we have people in the group who are studying design and technology so we can make them ourselves. They’re eco-friendly and we don’t have to buy anything in from other countries.”

She added: “There are quite a few jobs to do, from hollowing out the bamboo to cutting pieces of wood. We spend about four hours a week working on them, and we sell them for £10 each.”

As well as the hotel, the kit includes a pack of wildflower seeds to plant near the hotel for food for the bees and a brochure about solitary bees and their role in pollination.