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Sales at John Lewis have soared 27.4 per cent over last week as bargain hunters descended on stores across the UK.

Heavy discounting on the high street has forced the department store chain to lower its prices as part of its 'never knowingly undersold' policy.

Large electrical appliances sold particularly well, as did fashion ranges, John Lewis said.

Many stores saw double-digit sales rises, including Cambridge, where eager shoppers boosted sales by 42.2 per cent, and Newcastle, where sales rose by 33.6 per cent.

John Lewis, seen by analysts as a bellwether for the high street, praised its staff for their efforts during the bumper week.

However, the retailer warned the outlook is still uncertain and said conditions are likely to be difficult for the entire retail trade in the months ahead.

"While we must brace ourselves for that we can now do so with great pride at having delivered a well-executed Christmas campaign," John Lewis said in a statement.

Sales figures at Waitrose, the Partnership's grocery chain, were also strong over the week.

Consumers buying party food and champagne pushed sales up to £81.23 million, seven per cent higher than a year ago.

The cold weather has also boosted sales of meat and root vegetables, Waitrose said.