A GROUP of young entrepreneurs fed up with boring sexual health lectures have created a new card game in a bid to make the subject more memorable.

Ozone, which is made up of about 20 Year 12 students from Colchester Royal Grammar School, has already had interest in its new game Double Up, which raises awareness of sexually transmitted diseases.

The cards can be played two ways – as pairs or snap – or in a format similar to Top Trumps.

Ewan Smith, 17, said: “In our experience, when we’ve had sexual health talks, it’s been the same thing over and over again.

“This will be more memorable.”

TomBrown, also 17, who is the group’s managing director, added: “We thought something more fun would help to combat these issues a bit better, as opposed to something a bit boring.”

Double Up includes 33 cards and features 15 diseases, each of which has two cards – one with general details and the other listing statistics.

The remaining cards contain sexual health advice.

Sam Paternoster, 16, added: “The issue is quite a taboo, which is why we wanted to tackle it.

“Everyone seems to be on board with it once they get over the initial surprise.”

Their school has already purchased 50 packs and the group are in discussions with sexual health clinic Cornerstone.

They are also working with other charities to try to get it into schools across the country.

The group are already looking further ahead, and hope to expand the idea to other issues such as healthy eating, drugs and alcohol.

They have been working on their product since November and organised a number of fundraisers, including a photoshoot at their winter ball and a Fifa football computer game tournament, to raise the money to have them professionally made.

Ewan added: “I think it is just so unique.

“We’re so different to what is out there on the market.”

They recently entered their product into north Essex category of the Young Enterprise competition, and they won themselves a place in the final, which will be held on April 29.