A REGIONAL firm of chartered accountants and business advisors has expanded its Darlington branch.

Clive Owen & Co LLP recently appointed Mary McArthur, Lucy Donner, Katie Sidgwick and Emily Card.

Ms McArthur is an audit senior in the owner-managed business support team.

She recently qualified as a chartered accountant and is a chartered tax advisor.

Ms Donner has also joined the owner-managed business support team as a part-qualified chartered certified accountant.

As well as undertaking a number of work placements through the North East Chamber of Commerce in local businesses to establish a basic understanding of financial management, she has also worked at two accountancy practices.

Recently married Mrs Sidgwick, Mary's sister, has joined the company as a trainee chartered accountant.

She graduated from Lancaster University with a 2.1 LLB (Honours) in Law in 2003 and spent a year travelling through North West America and British Columbia.

As well as gaining the theoretical knowledge at training sessions in Newcastle, she will take on a wide variety of activities in the preparation of accounts for the firm's sole trader, partnership and incorporated clients.

Ms Card has also started in-post chartered accountant training. She has joined the company's incorporated business department to gain experience in the preparation of accounts and other year-end procedures.

Tony Luckett, partner at Clive Owen & Co LLP, said: "The appointments of Katie and Emily are part of our essential annual intake of graduates on to our trainee scheme. With a constantly expanding client-base, it is also great to have Mary and Lucy join us in more senior roles."