Swedish clothing retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) was sizing up further expansion in the UK after seeing sales soar in the past half-year.

The group plans to open six more UK stores before Christmas and said it could eventually have more than 150 given its recent success.

After opening its first UK site in 1976, H&M now has 63 stores and has seen sales rocket 35 per cent in recent months.

The growth took turnover in the UK up to £142 million in the six months to May 31.

Group profits, including operations across Europe and the US, climbed 56 per cent to £229.6 million after one-off costs.

Head of investors relations Carl-Henric Enhoerning said the group had yet to see any sign of a consumer downturn across its stores.

He added: "We never disclose any specific figures for individual countries but it has been a very good period for us in the UK market.

"It is one of our big expansion markets and we have had very successful collections both this year and last."

H&M focuses on "affordable fashion" and Mr Enhoerning admitted the group had struggled in the UK until the early Nineties.

But he said: "If you combine three factors, fashion, quality and price, we should be outstanding compared to anyone else in the UK."

The six new stores planned for the second half are in Stratford-upon-Avon, Basingstoke, Leeds, Edinburgh, Romford and Lakeside retail park, Essex.

H&M opened four stores in the recent half-year. Mr Enhoerning said: "We haven't stated a final target for stores but, looking at the size of the market, it shouldn't be a problem to have 150 by some time."

Sales in H&M's biggest market, Germany, rose 13 per cent.