Handbag demand continues to boost Burberry sales

Fashion house Burberry reported a 19% surge in second-half sales today as demand for its luxury handbags and trench coats showed no signs of slowing.

The company, famous for its distinctive black, camel and red check design, said the increase in sales in the six months to March 31 had taken total sales for the year to £850m (€1.3bn), a 14% rise on a year earlier.