Dyson sales boosted by pollution in China

Sales at the engineering firm Dyson rose by more than a quarter in 2015, helped by a tripling of sales in China.

Total revenue rose 26% to £1.7bn, including a 222% increase in China.

Dyson opened in China three years ago, selling vacuum cleaners and humidifiers but expanded its range to include purifiers in the last 12 months.

In December, Beijing was forced to issue two "red" warnings over hazardous smog levels, which boosted demand for Dyson's products the firm said.

Dyson said total sales of its environmental control products grew by 35% over the year, underpinned by strong growth in Asia, and it expects demand for purifiers to increase in 2016.

Profit for the year, measured as earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, rose by 19% to £448m.

The company also lifted investment in new technologies by 23.5% to £206m and this year will open the first phase of its research, design and development campus in Malmesbury, Wiltshire as part of a £250m expansion of Dyson's headquarters.

Founder Sir James Dyson said: "By ramping up our investment in technology and expanding research and development we are developing machines that perform better and disrupt the status quo."