AN online retailer whose distribution warehouse was damaged by the Buncefield fuel depot blast showed its business was back on track yesterday.

ASOS, which supplies fashion items for 18 to 34-year-olds similar to those worn by stars such as Kate Moss, Keira Knightley and Paris Hilton, said sales in the past six weeks were up 74 per cent on a year earlier.

It said revenues for the year to March 31 rose 42 per cent, even though the company's warehouse, near Hemel Hempstead, was forced to shut for more than a month and it had to refund 19,000 orders in the wake of December's explosion.

ASOS, which stands for As Seen on Screen, forecast profits of not less than £1.6m for the last financial year, with the later timing of insurance claim proceeds pushing the figure below City hopes of £2.26m.