Halfords boosted by camping boom

Halfords produced a top-of-the-range rise in half-year profits today after benefiting from a surge in demand for cycling and camping goods.

The group posted profits of £60.9m (€68m) for the 26 weeks to October 2, an increase of 24% on a year earlier as this summer’s trend for Britons to holiday in the UK lifted sales of leisure equipment.