COLLEGE students have proved they can't be licked when it comes to good ideas.

To improve facilities for staff and students the college this week created an Ideas Factory.

Anyone with a new concept can contribute what they are thinking about and if the idea is a goer the college will act on it.

And to drum up support for the venture on its first day those behind the Ideas Factory dished out free ice creams to anyone with their own bright idea.

Some of the suggestions so far have included career taster sessions and more facilities, such as a hair salon.

Emma Backhouse, 16, from Stratton, said: "I don't think we should be charged for using the cash machines and food should be cheaper."

Rhiannon Holbrook, 16, from Cricklade, said: "I had an idea that we could get pictures of wildlife or natural pictures, in any form of media they want, and enter it into an auction.

"Then we could have a mass auction in the hall and the money raised could go to the World Wildlife Fund."

And 22-year-old Chevonne Cosway, from Haydon Wick, said: "I think we should have more facilities such as a hair salon and a beauty salon.

"Another idea of mine was that there could be more sales for graduated students in cookery classes."

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher Jayne Copping said: "How about the International GCSE and AS for ESOL full-timers?

"Also, career taster days - a two-week course with training sessions for different careers such as teaching, office work and sports coaching."

Emma Lacey, New College's marketing manager, said: "The college is a very vibrant place.

"New College is giving out free ice creams for good ideas. We thought it was about time we formed a group of innovators to ensure that ideas for making positive changes to our environment get heard by the right people and moved forward.

"The group is designed to listen and act on innovative ideas.

"As a college we feel it's important that we listen to our staff and students and keep looking at things from a new perspective."

The launch of New College's Ideas Factory coincides with National Ideas Week.

Students with further brainwaves can email their ideas to ideas@newcollege.ac.uk.