Australian model Elle Macpherson and fashion designer Paul Smith helped boost profits at House of Fraser over the last year.

The department store group, which owns the Binns store in Darlington, said pre-tax profits for the year to January 26, rose 44 per cent to £25.6m against the same time the previous year.

Turnover rose by 12.9 per cent to £956.7m, while like-for-like sales, which strip out the effect of store openings and closures, rose 5.7 per cent.

Trading for the first eight weeks of the new financial year had also been strong with like-for-like sales up 6.2 per cent.

Chief executive David Adams said good selling designer brands in the group's stores were menswear labels such as Paul Smith, while accessories such as handbags also sold well.

In addition, a lingerie range launched by model Elle Macpherson also produced good sales, he said.

Mr Adams added he saw no signs of consumer confidence slowing. He said: "Everyone talks about the end coming soon but we haven't seen it, there is no sign of it slowing and the economic fundamentals are looking good."

House of Fraser added it had improved the quality of a number of its stores through refurbishments, and was also increasing its store numbers.

It has refurbished stores in London's Oxford Street, Guildford, Cardiff and Manchester and opened stores in Nottingham, the Bluewater retail park in Kent, Reading and Bristol. A further five new stores are planned.

The group said sales of designer products and the store opening programme had driven the rise in profits.

Shareholders will receive a dividend of 5.5p per share, unchanged on last year.