LUCY Porter is the second South Lakeland youngster in as many years to be named most enterprising STEP student in Cumbria.

Jonathon Nicholson of Windermere took the title last year after spending eight weeks holidays on a placement with Goacher Sails in Bowness. The mechanical engineering student helped to bring cutting edge technology to the heart of the company's work, by converting acetate rolls of sail designs into computer files.

The Shell Technology Enterprise Project proved particularly popular in South Lakeland this year, with 17 businesses in the area taking advantage of the programme.

STEP project manager Veronica Wood said placements in South Lakeland were subsidised by the district council, which paid small businesses some 50 per cent of the cost up to £700 of taking on students for eight weeks or more. STEP aims to help small and medium-sized businesses to harness the skills of the county's brightest youngsters to develop ideas, improve research and kick-start new projects.

l For more details about STEP and a similar scheme called Cumbria Action Plan Placements contact Veronica Wood on 01228-616315 or log on to www.step.org.uk.