TOP accolade in this year's Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales professional stage exams went to a student from PricewaterhouseCoopers in Southampton.

The firm's trainee accountants came top of the class in the professional stage overall order of merit, with first place in the Order of Merit and the Plender Prize going to Hazel Buckland. Hazel also took second equal place in the financial reporting paper and third equal prize-winning place in the business finance paper.

Geoff Briggs, senior partner at the company's Southampton office said: "These results clearly demonstrate the quality of our training and the calibre of candidates coming through at PricewaterhouseCoopers. We are absolutely delighted to share in the success of our prizewinners."

Hazel, a graduate of Southampton University, said: "I don't want my achievements to overshadow my colleagues' results. We all have to work extremely hard to pass these exams and they too have accomplished very high grades."

Hazel and other prizewinners, will receive their awards at an official dinner next April.