Your local paper boy could well turn out to be the next Richard Branson.

Out of 84 per cent of entrepreneurs who said they worked to earn money while still at school, those who had paper rounds went on to become the biggest earners.

The research on British business owners, by the Royal Bank of Scotland, suggested paper boys and girls were most likely to now own a company with a turnover above £250,000 and have eleven or more employees.

Other jobs done after school included working in a shop or restaurant, helping in a family business and earning money by doing chores at home.

Being competitive at sports is also likely to lead to success, the survey suggests. More than half of owners with businesses turning over £500,000 and £1 million said they had this trait.

But one in three small business owners believed they had not been particularly competitive when young.

Only a quarter had been competitive at schoolwork, although 23 per cent had been a prefect or form captain. The arts proved less of a draw - only 15 per cent claim to have excelled in art or music.

Educational attainment among Britain's entrepreneurs varied, but despite their later successes, 45 per cent of owners of small businesses rejected higher or further education and left school at 15 or 16.

Nearly one in five had no educational qualifications, just over one quarter passed GCSEs or equivalent, one in eight achieved A Levels or equivalent, although 16 per cent had sat City & Guilds/NVQs. Only five per cent had a professional qualification, while seven per cent had a degree.

Steve Richards, head of RBS business marketing, said: "Our survey comes as many will consider if this is the year to strike out on their own and set up their own business." ..SUPL: