A TEAM of boys has beaten 200 other schools across London in a competition to find innovative ways of charity fundraising.

The five-strong team from Beths Grammar School, Hartford Road, Bexley Village, was competing in the final of the London Enterprise Challenge, held at Canary Wharf's East Wintergardens.

The final involved 100 Year 10 students from 20 schools in 13 London boroughs, including Beths and a team from Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School in Hurst Road, Sidcup.

The challenge was to brainstorm fundraising ideas to help Comic Relief, Every Child, Help the Aged and PEACH (Parents for the Early Intervention of Autism in Children).

All finalists had won heats held in their own boroughs, in a competition which involved more than 1,000 students.

After spending several hours on the task, each team had to make their presentation to a panel of judges.

Beths was set the challenge of producing an idea for next year's Comic Relief and worked with people from the charity whose theme next year is happiness.

The boys came up with the idea of text messages from people in the UK and abroad about what makes them happy.

Each message would cost £1 which would go to Comic Relief. It was judged the winner and received a trophy and a £500 prize.

Team member Ryan Arnold, 14, said: "This was the first year we entered the event.

"The competition was really hard but the whole experience was amazing."

He added: "We are really pleased we won. We think we deserved it."

Comic Relief's board is now discussing adopting Beths' idea as part of its campaign for next year.