Marks & Spencer today showed further evidence it was turning itself around, as it reported a jump in sales for the last three months.

The group, which is recovering from a period of slumping sales and profits, said comparative sales for the 11 weeks to March 30 rose by 10.6 per cent against the same period last year.

Food sales were up 4.5 per cent while sales of clothing, footwear, gifts and home items shot 16.6 per cent ahead.

Chairman and chief executive Luc Vandevelde said: "While pleased with our progress, I recognise our performance was helped by the buoyant High Street trading conditions and the fact we were up against weak comparatives in the fourth quarter last year.

"We still have a long way to go to recover lost ground, but I am confident that by continuously driving improvements for our customers we can secure the recovery."

M&S lost its way in the late 1990s when profits slumped. The group, which had previously seen profits top £1 billion, has been rejuvenating itself with new ranges and updated stores.