There were mixed fortunes for High Street retailers across a number of divisions.

Tough conditions in the clothing sector experienced by M&S were mirrored by Matalan, which reported a five per cent fall in sales.

Laura Ashley, which overhauled its fashion division last summer, said UK sales of womenswear dropped 7.8 per cent in the 24 weeks to January 10 and, on the leisure front, JJB Sports suffered a decline of 3.5 per cent after strong competition from discount rivals.

JD Sports owner John David Group said the Muslim festival of Eid helped boost pre-Christmas like-for-like sales by 3.7 per cent.

Stores in areas with relatively high Asian and Muslim populations did well as people bought presents, JD said.

At Dixons, where customers snapped up digital cameras and flat-screen TVs, Christmas same-store sales rose four per cent.

Mothercare kept up its trading revival with a stronger than expected performance over the Christmas season.

The group said improved ranges and greater product availability lay behind the 6.5 per cent gain in UK like-for-like sales for the eight weeks to Sunday.

Richmond Foods - the North Yorkshire-based owner of the Nestl ice cream business - said sales rose 17 per cent in the traditionally quietest quarter for business. It said the £3.95m Oldfields Ice Cream acquisition contributed seven per cent to the increase.