UK retail sales have registered strong growth after falling back this time last year, denoting healthy growth in the economy, but also being helped by the timing of Easter.

Like-for-like shop sales jumped 4.2 per cent in April compared with the same month last year, when they slipped 2.2 per cent on 2012.

Total sales, including the impact of new store openings, went up 5.7 per cent compared with a 0.6 per cent slide last year.

Figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) were positively distorted by the timing of Easter, which boosts sales of certain products and came late this year.

By sector, furniture and flooring was the best performing category, registering its strongest growth for eight years. Children’s fashion also performed strongly, said the BRC.

David McCorquodale, head of retail at KPMG, which compiles the data, said: "Strong April sales figures may have benefitted from Easter falling late this year but it is clear that the effects of the wider economic recovery are feeding through to the retail sector.

He added: “The clothing and footwear segments performed well over the spring months, benefitting from milder weather than last year.”