Financial Planning and accountancy firm Old Mill has taken on 26 trainees, bringing the number of new starters at the south west firm this year to 72.

Last year it announced plans to double staff numbers by 2026 to 600.

The move is part of ambitious plans to increase the size of the firm by 15%.

Some 23 graduates and school leavers joined the firm in 2021 with 27 added this year so far, with five more likely to start imminently.

Last month Old Mill promoted Becca Pullman, Suzy May and Lewis Dyer to trainee Financial Planners.

Kevin Whitmarsh, chief executive of Old Mill, said: "While our trainee programme remains strong, we continue to recruit at all levels, and have welcomed several key senior people to the team this year too, including Chartered Financial Planner Tom Parry and tax specialist Chris Watts who joined as associate director in the capital tax advisory team last month."

He said the business has an open-door policy when it comes to recruitment.

He said: "Our clients trust us to provide the services they need, to the highest possible standard – and that is only possible by having great people, so in contrast to some organisations, we don’t limit ourselves based on budgets – if we meet someone good, we will get them in."

The latest intake includes five tax trainees and 21 trainee accountants to grow the sector specialism teams.

Joining the commercial team as trainee accountants are Caitlyn O’Neill and Cameron Clark, who will all be based in Chippenham and William Slade, Jessica Millington and James Norman who all join the Wells office.

Chloe Lawrence, Aiden Carpenter, Aron Doble, Katie Beukers and Raef Stroud, also join the commercial team as trainee accountants but will be based in Yeovil while Alex Moorey joins the firm’s Exeter office.

The tax team – which recently promoted six staff and appointed Chris Watts as associate director – is growing further by welcoming five new starters; Sarah Batty and Freddie Davey, who will be based in Exeter, Rory Shadbolt, a graduate from Swansea University, who will be based in Chippenham, and Aaron Medlin and Shanean Bradburn, who will both work from Yeovil under newly promoted tax manager Dan Wilton.

The rural team is also getting an injection of new talent with 10 trainee accountants coming on board: Dylan Jones, Harrison Bell, Miri Lister, Elinor Aherns, Oliver Lockwood and Courtney Harding will be based in Chippenham, while Thomas Reddaway, Lukasz Kasperowicz, Owen Coates and Agata Worbel will all work under Liz Score in Yeovil.

In June Old Mill acquired Ilminster-based financial outsourcing firm Brook Financial.