ANNUAL new car sales have reached an all-time high for a second consecutive year - but are expected to fall in 2017, according to an industry trade association.

Some 2.69 million cars were registered in the UK last year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.

The figure is up by 2.3 per cent on 2015.

The organisation's chief executive, Mike Hawes, said growth was due to "very strong" consumer confidence, low interest finance packages and a raft of new models.

According to the SMMT, the Nissan Qashqai, made at the Japanese company's Sunderland plant, was responsible for 3,202 sales last month.

It meant sales of the Qashqai, whose production will stay in the region after previous Brexit jitters, hit 62,682 in the year-to-date.

The Juke, also made at Nissan's Wearside factory, picked up 3,368 sales in December.

However, Mr Hawes has predicted registrations will decline by "between five per cent or six per cent" in 2017, but said this was still "historically an incredibly high level" and insisted it would not represent "a collapse in the market".

He said five consecutive years of increased sales has been fuelled by latent demand built up during the recession.