SUPERMARKET group Tesco reported a 17.5 per cent rise in sales ahead of Christmas - spurred by growth in its clothing division.

Discount promotions such as £4 jeans at its UK stores had enabled Tesco to capture market share from rivals such as Sainsbury's and Safeway.

The supermarket chain reported growth in all key divisions but finance director Andrew Higginson said the performance of the non-food sector had been the most eye-catching in the period.

Clothing had grown at more than six times the market rate with sales up 34 per cent in the quarter.

Mr Higginson said its Back to School range of schoolwear and stationery had doubled sales on a year ago.

He said: "Tesco is a discounter and many of these divisions are growing from a very small position four or five years ago."

Tesco said its international sales were up 31 per cent in the third quarter with all countries contributing to growth despite tough trading conditions caused by weak economies overseas.

It pledged to have 189 hypermarkets in operation by the end of this year with stores in ten countries including South Korea, Thailand, Ireland and Poland at present.