ONE of the nation's top accountants will tomorrow beam in on a York animal feeds firm that thrived on, despite the foot and mouth crisis.

Michael Groom, national president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, will visit William Thompsons animal feeds, at Murton, near York, to mark the two-day launch of his organisation's Yorkshire regional office.

It is part of a whistle-stop tour of the region by Mr Groom, who is celebrating his new focal organisation for about 10,000 chartered accountants in Yorkshire and Humberside.

The new regional office, based in Leeds, will be able more easily to link arms with Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency, and other regional-based organisations to offer advice and help on strategic business matters.

Already the ICA has announced that it will be joining Yorkshire Forward on its enterprise roadshows designed to improve the business birth rate in the region, including a two-day event at Harrogate International Centre, starting on April 13, at which accountants will be offering fledgling businesses practical advice.

Mr Groom was due to arrive in Sheffield today to meet young accountants at the Magna Science Adventure Park, before heading for York.

Tomorrow's tour of Thompsons will demonstrate how good accountancy practice married to new technology of the kind being urged by the ICA, can overcome all odds and thrive.

Updated: 09:40 Tuesday, March 12, 2002