The owner of UK sports goods firm JD Sports was today rewarded for its decision to focus more on sportswear after it reported higher profits and sales than a year ago.

More retailers in Britain will be driven to the wall in 2005 as the high street endures the slowest growth for more than 40 years, a study showed today.

More than 600 UK jobs were at risk today after the owner of the Eisenegger discount clothing chain became the latest retailer to collapse this year.