AN additional £1.25bn will be spent in the UK as a result of the World Cup, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said yesterday.

Consumer spending is likely to be more than £720m during the tournament, while pubs, clubs and off-licences are expected to see an extra £285m if England gets to the semi-finals, while £300m will be spent on advertising.

BRC director general Kevin Hawkins said: "With continuing tough trading conditions and the recent nasty weather, retailers are welcoming any opportunities to maximise sales.

"We hope that the World Cup will contribute further to the signs of growth we have seen over the past few weeks, which indicate that consumer confidence is beginning to pick up."

Sales of flat screen televisions have nearly doubled compared with last year.