A group of entrepreneurial students from Epsom have converted rags into riches, coming first in the Surrey regional finals of the Young Enterprise Competition 2011.

Nine sixth form students from Rosebery School, all aged 16 to 17 and currently taking their AS levels, set up their own business, Ragbags, in October 2010 achieving massive success.

Creating personalised bags by printing images onto tote and drawstring bags in their lunch time, the business has already made £800 profit by selling the bags to individuals and companies including Denbie’s Vineyard and Surrey Youth Orchestra.

And the ambitious entrepreneurs aren’t stopping there with plans to expand their business to produce wine bottle covers and aprons. Winning the area finals in March, managing director Becki Cackett, 17, was named young enterprise achiever of the year with the group also taking home best trade stand.

The team then went on to the county finals in May which they also won along with an award for best presentation.

The girl’s will now go on to the South East regional finals in Horsham on June 14.

If successful the Ragbags will go all the way to the national finals held at the Savoy hotel in London.

Miss Cackett said: “I am so incredibly proud of the whole team.

“They have all worked extremely hard and deserve all the success we have achieved.

“We have all learnt a great deal about starting up and running a business and this will stay with us throughout our working lives. “It’s been stressful but we wouldn’t have got anywhere if it hadn’t been."

The Ragbag team also includes Kayleigh O’Rahilly, Rebecca Muller, Rebecca Millhouse, Louise Hatchett, Rayisa Quazi, Isabella Holt, Elizabeth Rudrum, Sarah Burns and Keri Forbes.