A BERKSHIRE web-design agency that started in a self-taught developer’s bedroom is celebrating its 15th birthday.

Code23 was founded by James Ansell, originally from Reading, in 2005 after he was let go from three agencies in quick succession during the web’s turbulent boom-and-bust period.

The company now employs ten staff and describes itself as a digital partner, helping to define a business’s online strategy and build websites with a focus on beautiful design and usability.

READ ALSO: Reading's Indie Urban Market coming to Double Barrelled Brewery.

Code23 has worked with a range of partners including Crimestoppers, Williamson Tea and Postworks.

The company began when Mr Ansell left school straight after his GCSEs in 1994 and taught himself HTML while working at Digital.

He went on to set up the business in his bedroom at a time when not having an office was considered very unusual.

READ ALSO: Royal Berkshire Hospital launches Christmas 'Gift Tree' Appeal.

Fifteen years on, Code23 has moved into premises on Lambwood Hill, Grazeley, and continues to grow.

The 41-year-old said: “When I started Code23 I’d been made redundant from three agencies in a row and I set up by myself in my bedroom because I just wanted to work.

"The web was so up and down at the time and I saw so many companies being run badly.

“It was a time when no-one else was doing remote business, but I wanted something scalable so I could ride out the bumps in the industry.

"The best way was to not have any office expenses and to hire everyone on contracts so no-one was being paid when there wasn’t any work.

“I was busy from the start and was able to work on some great projects, but it was still unusual to work remotely.

"Some clients were surprised they couldn’t come and meet a team at an office.

“I went on to build a nice office in the garden, so it was much more professional, but in those early days not many other people were doing it.”

Although it’s now a much larger enterprise, Mr Ansell says Code23 is still built around the core values he worked on from his bedroom.

He said: “We’ve always been about beautiful design and usable websites, and we really do look after our customers.

"The level of service we give them is very much about developing long-term relationships.

“We want to work with people who have a really great idea which they want to get off the ground.

"We want to be their digital partner and we will guide them through every step of the way.”