It will be the seventh office for the Norfolk and Cambridgeshire accountants and business advisors.

Stephenson Smart has taken over Hines Harvey Woods in The Street, Acle, making it the second office in east Norfolk for the firm, after it opened the first at Gorleston in 2015. The value of the deal was not disclosed.

Hines Harvey Woods was founded in 2000, with the last original partner Sara Harvey due to retire next March.

Harvey will stay on until then as a consultant, alongside Andrew Fryer, who will also act as a consultant and remain in the role for at least two years. The acquisition will see 15 staff move to Stephenson Smart’s team of 100 plus.

Stephen Pease, a director at Hines Harvey Woods for 14 years, has become an associate director working alongside Stephenson Smart partner Henry Pettitt, who is also partner of the Gorleston office.