Charlotte and Patrick Mercer are not your average teenagers. They're both ace skiers and having each secured a place at the £3,500-a-person British skiing academy in the Alps, they both have dreams of becoming future Olympians.

While paying for their academy places is an uphill struggle for parents Kimberley and Kevin, they've found an innovative way of cutting that cost.

The family collect and sell print cartridges which fetch anything up to £5 a pop. In total, they've already made £600 by flogging their used cartridges to companies that then recycle them, plus friends and family have been getting in on the act too by sending them used cartridges to then sell on.

The Mercers have also posted advertisements in doctors' surgeries and on the web to collect as many cartridges as possible so that total will hopefully climb further.

They also save cash by making their own birthday and Christmas cards and presents, while Charlotte and Patrick both walk to school rather than take public transport.