Record inflation hits games and toys

Bad news for parents in the run-up to the Christmas shopping: the Office for National Statistics says toys and games are rising in price at a record rate.

New bestselling computer games Medal of Honor and Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock have replaced cheaper titles in the charts, helping to drive toy and game prices up by 1.9 per cent in October, the fastest since 1997.

Consoles, pre-school activity toys and "model road vehicles" are also shooting up.