KELLEY O' Donovan has become one of the youngest chartered accountants in the country after passing her exams at the age of 21.

The former pupil at Invicta Girls Grammar School, Maidstone, decided not to go to university - she gained two As and a B at A Level - but instead train as an accountant with Deeks Evans in Tunbridge Wells.

Kelley, who lives in Boughton Monchelsea, recently passed the tough exams of the Institute of Chartered Accountants after three years' experience of account preparation, management accounts, VAT returns, and carrying out audits for a number of owner-managed businesses.

Deeks Evans, a practice that has been in business for 50 years, said Kelley quickly gained the confidence and skills needed by the best accountants and praised her for passing the "notoriously difficult" exams first time.

Kelley said: "I decided to turn down my place at Warwick university and choose the fast track career of accountancy Deeks Evans offered me. I was attracted to accountancy because I always been good at maths and interested in business.

"The ACA qualification appealed to me because it represents the world's most highly respected business qualification and I hope to use this to eventually travel around the world and one day work for a large multi-national company."

Unlike many of her friends, she is not burdened by student debt and has been able to devote time to horse riding and looking after her horse.