The freezing weather has seen an unexpected increase in bikini and swimwear sales at a major store chain, the company said today.

The 70 per cent increase at Debenhams was attributed to people flying off to warm climes to escape the cold conditions at home, or trying to shed extra pounds by exercising in the local indoor swimming pool.

Natelle Baddeley, Debenhams' head of design, swimwear, said: "With temperatures colder than Antarctica, the last thing you would think people would be buying was swimwear. Well, they are at Debenhams.

"With purchases up by 70% you could say that sales are going along swimmingly.

"Our most popular selling styles have now become the much warmer traditional briefs and tops rather than the slinky bikini.

"Even patterns popular from the 1950s are back in fashion, especially large polka dots and big floral designs."

Debenhams has 163 shops around the UK.