HIGH street bakery Greggs has reported a rise in sales and a boost from the delay to Brexit.

Its bosses had been concerned that supplies and sales could take a hit if an October 31 Brexit delayed imports.

But with an extension agreed, its concerns were allayed.

Local Gregs branches include shops in Above Bar and East Street in Southampton, as well as in Shirley, Antelope Park, Totton, Hedge End, Eastleigh and Winchester.

It said sales jumped 12.4 per cent in the six weeks to November 9, with like-for-like sales up 8.3 per cent when new stores are stripped out.

The company said it now anticipates "2019 full-year profit before tax (excluding exceptional charges) to be higher than our previous expectations".

It added: "Sales growth continues to be driven by increased customer visits and has been stronger than we had expected given the improving comparative sales pattern that we saw in the fourth quarter last year."

At its last scheduled set of results last month, Greggs had said sales were "very strong" but warned that the group was "building stocks of key ingredients and equipment that could be affected by disruption to the flow of goods into the UK".