IT was never entirely going to be a case of jam tomorrow when it came to task of selling doughnuts in the University of York's The Apprentice-style competition.

Only half of the 40 doughnuts issued to each of the ten teams of four entrepreneurial students contained jam the rest were simply circular.

Over four days, 40 wheeler-dealer students are competing for a prize of £500 in a series of business challenges, and this was the first secret task unveiled.

The students had to sell all of their doughnuts at a price that was any amount above the 11p each they were bought for the biggest profit maker was the winner.

But selling to friends and relatives was banned. All sales had to be on campus and by any gimmick possible.

A few teams were prepared, by dressing up as warriors; another surrounded themselves with balloons; and others, armed with guitars, were preparing to lure passing students to their doughnuts with a serenade.

The event was organised by the newly-formed York Entrepreneurs Club, and a panel of judges will decide on Saturday night who gets the cash put up by sponsors Ernst & Young. The club, whose aim is to promote entrepreneurship among students and graduates, was formed on May 20, but already boasts 200 members.

Its formation comes in the wake of an £11 million higher education award shared between York, Leeds and Sheffield universities to carry out the work of York CETLE Centre for Excellence In Teaching and Learning in Enterprise.