Aldi has announced a £1.3billon investment plan which is expected to create 4,000 jobs and open 100 new shops in the UK by the end of next year.

The plan will mean 7,000 jobs created by the end of 2021 after those announced earlier this year.

And the new stores will take the discount supermarket towards its target of 1,200 by 2025.

The German-owned chain said the investment would cover its click and collect service, the new stores and distribution centres as well as upgrades at existing sites.

The investment plan was announced as Aldi reported a rise in sales of 8.3 per cent in 2019.

Pre-tax profits for the were up 49 per cent to £271.5million as the chain's growth made it the fifth biggest in the UK by market share.

Since the introduction of coronavirus restrictions, Aldi has increased its online delivery presence with a partnership with Deliver announced in May and investment in a click and collect service.

Aldi chief executive Giles Hurley told the BBC: "It's been an extraordinary six months, like nothing I've ever know in grocery.

"The business performance has been very, very solid, but we also recognise customer habits are changing and that we need to evolve our business to meet the new demands and we're actively doing that."