FALKLANDS war veteran Simon Weston OBE gave young people an inspirational speech before the Young Business Magnates award ceremony.

The former Welsh Guard, who suffered severe burns during the conflict, said the contest was character-building for the pupils.

He said: "It is nice to be part of these awards and to see young people have risen to the challenge.

"For you get to this level of success is a very great achievement. I am very privileged to be a part of it.

"You have to accept the challenges that life throws at you. You have got to be able to step outside your comfort zone, and I have had to do that for the past 25 years.

"It is a fierce world out there and this will have done the young people who have taken part an awful lot of good."

Mr Weston said the entrepreneurial spirit would help shape the businessmen and women of the future.

He said: "In many ways, this has been like a teen version of The Apprentice on television.

"Competitions like this demonstrate commitment and this is what employers are looking for.

"They want people to be dedicated and all too often that is something you don't see in life.

"Those people who have taken part have started a process and can use this as a building block.

"It is a stepping stone to the rest of their life."