BELEAGUERED retailer Marks and Spencer is aiming to boost customer numbers by opening four cut-price Outlet stores.

The Outlet shops, which sell end-of-season clothes and toiletries at prices up to 30 per cent below regular M&S store prices, will be in North Shields in North Tyneside, Swindon, Manchester and Street in Somerset.

The new stores are likely to boost employment prospects by 100 jobs.

All four should be open by next spring, bringing the number of Outlet shops up to ten.

Michael Stanier, head of Outlet, said: "We said earlier in the year that the Outlet industry has experienced tremendous growth in the past few years and we believe this will continue.

"Our Outlet stores provide us with a platform from which we can attract new customers to the Marks and Spencer brand and grow our market share."

In July, Marks and Spencer reported sales of general merchandise, including clothing and gifts, in the first quarter of the year had fallen by 9.1 per cent.

The fall in sales was worse than many City analysts had forecast.

However, food sales remained strong, growing by 4.8 per cent, reflecting the same kind of growth seen by the major supermarkets.

Despite the growth in food, overall sales fell by 3.8 per cent.

Marks and Spencer chairman Luc Vandevelde has promised shareholders that he will turn around the fortunes of the once mighty stores group within two years.