The pub chain, JD Wetherspoon, says its sales grew by nearly a quarter in the three months to the end of April.

Most of the increase came from new pubs being opened.

With the effect of new openings stripped out, sales were up 5.7%.

Finance director Jim Clarke said the company was pleased with progress.

"If we can do the same for the rest of the year, we will be happy."

More new pubs

He said he had been encouraged by signs of a recovery in sales at the London pubs, which had been hit by a fall in the number of visitors in the capital.

Mr Clarke added: "London is still lower than the rest of the country, but the gap has come down a bit."

Wetherspoon opened 56 new pubs during the year and now has a total of 577.

It expects to add another 24 in the next three months.

Wetherspoon's sales increased by 24.5% to �152.9m in the 13 weeks to 28 April.

And sales for the 39 weeks to 28 April were 25% higher at �438.1m