SHOPPERS continued to confound expectations last month with a higher-than-forecast surge in High Street sales, official figures showed this week.

Retail sales were 0.8 per cent higher in October than in September, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Economic experts - concerned that on-going economic gloom might have caused shoppers to keep spending under control - had been predicting growth of 0.3 per cent.

The ONS said retail sales for October were six per cent higher than the same month a year go.

"In the run-up to the crucial Christmas trading period, the figures signal a return to levels approaching the boom times seen by retailers earlier in the year," said an ONS spokesman.

Year-on-year sales growth was running at 6.9 per cent in April, until a poor summer knocked retail confidence.

The ONS said much of the growth during October was driven by the performance of department stores and non-food outlets.

Sales of textiles, clothing and footwear rose by 1.6 per cent on last month, while household goods business lifted 1.2 per cent.