Last week's heatwave was a welcome boost to Gloucestershire's high streets.

The sunshine and very hot weather saw footfall on UK high streets up by five per cent, according to the latest figures from retail analysts, Springboard.

Unsurprisingly, coastal towns had an even bigger boost, with a jump in shoppers of 8.3 per cent, rising to 14.9 per cent when the temperature hit its peak.

Peter White, centre manager of King's Walk in Gloucester, said: "We're seeing an increase in fashion sales for Primark and River Island, as people switch to summerwear and start to think about holidays.

"We're also seeing a lot of families coming to the area to use the fountains in King's Square and we're benefiting from increased visits from that. Some of the smaller retailers had a good Father's Day this year too."

Even Saturday's rain wasn't bad news for retailers - while people stayed away from the high streets, shopping centre visits were up by 5.2 per cent.

Punchline said: "It's felt like a long couple of years for retailers, so any boost to footfall and sales will be very welcome. Let's hope we haven't seen the last of the good weather and that Gloucestershire's high streets can enjoy a really good summer."