The refusal of parents to skimp on their babies helped Mothercare increase its sales in the past quarter, even as many of its high street neighbours suffered.

Total group sales at the mother and baby chain rose 4.2 per cent year-on-year in the 13 weeks to January 9, while it drew a 1.1 per cent rise in like-for-like sales – which does not include new stores – from increasingly frugal UK shoppers.