Mothercare said it expected annual results to meet hopes as sales picked up after a Christmas downturn.

Mothercare said like-forlike sales in its UK stores rose 1.1 per cent in the 11 weeks to March 26, with total sales lifting 1.6 per cent.

International sales increased by 17.3 per cent in the year to the same date.

The group, which is now restructuring its business, suffered a 1.6 per cent fall in UK same-store sales during the eight weeks to January 7 due to a weak demand for its toys.

It said yesterday that it would take a £6.5 million charge for reorganising its distribution network and would make a special £10 million contribution to its pension schemes.

Mothercare recently passed the half-way stage of its three-year turnaround plan, which has involved an overhaul of its high-street stores and depots.

The firm is building a new £13 million national distribution centre at Daventry to increase the availability of reserve stock and enable its logistics team to make deliveries on time.

In a trading update ahead of full-year results on May 19, it said total UK store sales in the 24 weeks to March 26 increased by 0.5 per cent, with UK store like-for-like sales up 0.1 per cent.

In the 52 weeks to the same date, total UK sales increased by 0.8 per cent while samestore sales advanced 1.3 per cent.

Mothercare said the construction of the new distribution hub was progressing to plan and it was due to transfer the first stage of its operations to the new site in June.

Mothercare's shares closed on the stock exchange yesterday at 2761/2p up 111/2p.