ACCOUNTANCY firm James Cowper has taken nine graduates and modern apprentices on to its student accountant training programme – the highest number for six years.

The group will spend the next three years training to qualify as chartered or certified accountants and account or tax technicians at the business based in Cumnor Hill.

This year’s intake are Tay Butt, Guy Cable, Aziz Coulibaly, Asantha De-Alwis, Jie-Si Han and Jack Wild, who join the business services team, Lamorna Pascoe who joins the personal tax team and Luke Parker-Hodds and Darcie Goulding who join the corporate tax team.

Human resources director Robert Holland said: “We are committed to providing the best possible training contracts for both university graduates and students who have completed A-levels.

"With the economy beginning to show signs of growth we all look forward to welcoming and supporting them as they develop and begin their new chosen careers.”

Meanwhile, James Cowper has been shortlisted in three categories in the British Accountancy Awards. The firm has been nominated for the Mid Tier Firm of the Year, Audit Award of the Year and Tax Award of the Year.