´óÏó´«Ã½

Debenhams said the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations helped to lift trading in the first half of its financial year, but wet weather hampered clothing sales.

Like-for-like sales were up 1.4% for the period between last September and March.

The company said that shoppers responded to promotions around the Jubilee, Mother's Day and Easter.

But the department store group said bad weather hit sales of clothing.

But it sold more beauty and health products in the period, alleviating the impact.

Despite the dip in clothing sales, the department store operator said its key womenswear division did grow in the first half of its financial year.

Debenhams had thought it would report broadly flat financial performance for the full year, but has now said that profits would be less in 2012 than last year, although it remains "comfortable" with market expectations for pre-tax profit.