A North Yorkshire trainee accountant has passed his first three professional exams, putting him on course to become one of the youngest fully-qualified chartered accountants in the country.

Jonathan Stokes, 20, a trainee with accountants and business advisers DSC, of Princes Square, Harrogate, who joined the practice straight from school two years ago, has passed all three stages of the Association of Accounting Technicians chartered accounting examinations first time.

His success means that Jonathan, who attended Harrogate Granby High school and lives in Starbeck, will now go on a fast-track scheme which will enable him to complete his Institute of Chartered Accountants qualifications in two years rather than three.

DSC marketing partner, Simon Pease, said : "As the vast majority of trainees enter accountancy after university when they are aged 21 or 22 and then start their professional qualifications, this success gives Jonathan every chance of qualifying as young as it is possible to do so."

Updated: 10:02 Wednesday, March 03, 2004