High Street sales have remained robust, official figures showed yesterday, with a pre-World Cup and warm weather rush to buy wide-screen TVs and summer clothes cited for much of the trading.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said retail sales fell 0.6 per cent in May, the largest drop since February 2000.

It follows a 1.8 per cent revised hike in April and many economists were predicting a small fall in May.

In addition, sales were 5.4 per cent higher than the same month a year ago.

In March to May sales were 1.9 per cent higher than the previous three months - the biggest jump since May 1997 - also six per cent higher than the corresponding three months last year.

A fall in textiles, clothing and footwear was the main drive behind May's fall after warm weather in April had encouraged shoppers to buy summer clothes and shoes.

However, May did see an increase in the sale of household goods and anecdotal evidence suggested this was because people had bought wide-screen televisions in time for the World Cup, the ONS said.