Winter weather helps Carpetright

Carpetright thanked the prolonged wintry weather and self-help measures such as refurbished stores as the retailer reported a strong end to its financial year.

Sales in Britain at the UK's biggest floor-covering chain increased by 5.6 per cent in its fourth quarter, although it suffered a sharp fall in revenue in the Netherlands.

The City expects Carpetright, which has 477 shops in the UK, to have made up to £10m for the year just ending.