Shopping: Heatwave fuels fan sales

The recent humid weather has made fans a hot item for Britain's major electrical retailers said today.

John Lewis said its total sales were 7 per cent up last week compared with the same week a year ago, despite the temperatures making for "less than ideal" shopping conditions. Brian O'Callaghan, director of trading, said: "The remarkable number of fan sales recorded had much to do with a sparkling electrical performance."

A spokeswoman for Comet, the high street electrical chain, said sales had doubled in the last couple of weeks although she could not give figures. Dixons, which owns Currys as well as its own brand stores, said sales of fans were rising. "It is clearly down to the hot weather," said a group spokesman.

John Lewis said the hot weather had also benefited sales of garden furniture, sales of which rose by 66 per cent and gardening items, where sales were up 40 per cent.