STAFF at BDO Stoy Hayward are sharing in the success of the group which has unveiled a 16.7 per cent rise in fee income for the year ending March 31 2001, to £201.5m from £172.5m in 1999/2000.

Tim Bentall, managing partner of BDO Stoy Hayward's Southampton firm, said: "This growth shows how we are distancing ourselves from the competition with a single-minded proposition: being the adviser of choice for growing enterprises.

"We believe we are growing our share in our chosen market and we are also increasing the range of advisory services we offer growing businesses. Going forward, therefore, we believe that non-audit activities will continue to offer the greatest potential for growth."

He said all areas of the business grew over the course of the year but two - corporate finance and business recovery services - yielded growth rates of more than 20 per cent.

Corporate finance fee income went up 23.7 per cent, from £21.9m in 1999/2000 to £27.1m in 2000/2001, while business recovery rose 21.4 per cent, from £17.3m to £21m.

Audit and business advisory services contributed to the bulk of the organisation's fee income - £99m - but this area grew more modestly, up 15.3 per cent from £85.9m in 1999/2000.

Tax consultancy, meanwhile, grew 14.5 per cent, contributing a healthy £54.4m to the organisation's fee income, from £47.5m in the previous year.