Reading’s business brains spent the afternoon monkeying around as part of a fundraising challenge to raise £1 million for The Prince’s Trust.

Staff from software giant Oracle Corporation took to the trees for an action-packed course of rope bridges, Tarzan swings and zip slides at Go Ape High Wire Forest Adventure at Alice Holt Forest in Surrey.

Their efforts were part of the ‘Million Makers’ challenge in which 50 companies will battle it out to raise the most money for the charity’s business programme.

Million Makers marks the 25th anniversary of the business programme, which has helped more than 1,200 young people into business in the South East in the past five years.

Groups will then strive to come up with the most lucrative business idea and run their own mini enterprises to raise money to change young lives.

“Reading’s participants are ready to take on the rest of the country and win,” said Julian Barrell, director of fundraising at The Prince’s Trust.

“The challenge is guaranteed to put the team’s entrepreneurial skills to the test whilst also raising vital funds to help us support more disadvantaged young people.”