The owner of Hampshire-based B&Q, Kingfisher, has reported a much-needed sales boost as Britain’s heatwave boosted demand for barbecues and garden furniture.

The group said B&Q sales rose by 1.9 per cent on a like-for-like basis in the 10 weeks to July 13, having been 5.6 per cent lower in the previous quarter due to poor weather.

Sales of budget charcoal barbecues jumped by 89 per cent on a year earlier, alongside a rise of 56 per cent for wooden outdoor furniture and an 82 per cent gain in hosepipe sales.

Chief executive Ian Cheshire said he was pleased that the chain had been able to capitalise on the better weather conditions.

However, he added: '”Underlying consumer confidence remains weak in our major markets, so we continue to focus hard on our self-help margin and cost initiatives.”

With Kingfisher’s trade arm Screwfix growing like-for-like sales by 6.6 per cent, the group’s overall UK and Ireland revenues were up 2.5 per cent. However, this was not enough to prevent a 1.5 per cent fall in sales across the 23 weeks to July 13.

Kingfisher's shares have risen 27 per cent in the past three months, as investors consider the impact that an improving UK house market will have on the business.

In France, where the group trades as Castorama and Brico Depot, like-for-like sales were 1.1 per cent higher in the 13 week period. Other international sales grew by 5.3 per cent, leading to a group figure of 2.5 per cent higher.

The company has around 1,060 stores in nine countries in Europe and Asia and recently acquired 15 stores in Romania, its first new country in seven years.