BOLTON-BORN Simon Baxendale has been voted as one of the top three accountants in the North-west.

Mr Baxendale, a partner at Pierce Chartered Accountants in Blackburn, was third in the Accountants of the Year category at the 2001 Dealmaker awards hosted by business magazine Insider.

Mr Baxendale, aged 38, who lives in Rossendale, was particularly commended for his leadership of the Pierce team which advised fashion entrepreneur Robert Wade Smith in his £7.5 million buy back from Arcadia earlier this year.

He joined Pierce in 1990 from Arthur Young. Mr Baxendale is married with four children.