Autumn sales in biggest boom for over 14 years as shoppers rush to buy winter clothes

A COLD snap that saw shoppers buying winter clothes helped October sales grow at their fastest rate since April 2002.

Total high street and online sales were £30.8billion, up 7.4 per cent on a year ago, and up 1.9 per cent on September.

It is a major boost for retailers after predictions that Brits would stop spending after a Brexit vote.
Internet sales also posted their strongest growth for five years, up 26.8 per cent on last year.

The Pound jumped 0.3 per cent after the Office for National Statistics figures were released.

Analysts called it a “cracking performance, which was way above all expectations” — but others warned it was unsustainable.