THERE will be significant changes at the top of one of the region's best known accountancy firms later this year.Lovewell Blake - which celebrated its 150th anniversary last year - will see the two men who have led the firm for more than a decade step down from their positions in October.

THERE will be significant changes at the top of one of the region's best known accountancy firms later this year.

Lovewell Blake - which celebrated its 150th anniversary last year - will see the two men who have led the firm for more than a decade step down from their positions in October.

Senior partner Christopher Dicker and managing partner Robin Ashe will be replaced by Russell Leggett and Douglas Young respectively.

'Robin has been managing partner for almost 20 years and I've been senior partner since George Lovewell Blake retired in 1998,' said Mr Dicker.

'Both of us feel this is the time to stand aside, although I should stress that we continue to work for the firm as partners.

'Russell has proved his abilities across a number of sectors, and is highly regarded by clients and the business community generally.

'As head of our agricultural department, Douglas has shown the increasing value of specialist expertise in the modern world. This approach has, I believe, set Lovewell Blake apart and helped drive the expansion of our services.'

Mr Leggett, who has been a partner with the firm for 27 years, said: 'There is an independent streak in East Anglia that has stood the region in good stead, especially in difficult times, and we are determined to maintain our independence through the provision of the highest quality advice.

'Chris and Robin have done an excellent job in growing the firm based on the principles of high-quality technical services and client care, both leading by example.

'Theirs will certainly be a hard act to follow but Douglas and I hope to continue along this path, providing local focus with wider national and international perspectives when required.'

Lovewell Blake was founded in Yarmouth in 1858. Today it also has offices in Aylsham, Diss, Halesworth, Lowestoft, North Walsham, Norwich and Thetford.

Mr Leggett joined the firm in Yarmouth in 1972, working in taxation. He was looking after the tax department at Norwich at a pivotal time in 1980 when despite the fact that 80pc of the Norwich office partners joined Coopers & Lybrand, the office retained 80pc of its clients.

Mr Young, who has been managing partner of the Norwich office since 1998, joined the firm in 1980 and became a partner eight years later.

He leads the agricultural team dealing with more than 350 farming clients and is a member of the national agricultural working party for Praxity, the international alliance of independent accounting firms.