UK services decline 'biggest since foot and mouth'

The UK service sector slowed sharply in August, recording its weakest growth this year, an industry survey has suggested.

The Markit/Cips services purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to 51.1 in the month, down from 55.4 in July. Any figure above 50 indicates growth.

The monthly fall was the biggest in more than a decade.

Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit told the BBC's Hugh Pym the decline was the largest the UK had experienced for 10 years.