'Weather played role in sales rise'

Retail sales in September rose 0.6% compared with a 0.1% fall in August, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.

The data suggests that consumers returned to the shops after an August fall that some blamed on the Olympics. Compared with September 2011, the year-on-year figures show sales up 2.5%.

Retail analyst Natalie Berg told BBC News that "good predictable weather" played a strong part in the rise in sales in September.