THE UK's construction industry output fell sharply in February after extreme weather hit building sites, a report has said.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) says output dropped 2.8 per cent to £270m.

However, in the three months to the end of February, it said construction output grew 0.3 per cent compared with the previous quarter.

But bosses have warned despite signs of improvement, the industry remains 13.2 per cent below its pre-recession peak.

The ONS said heavy rain and flooding had caused delays in building work, with the fall in February's construction output standing as the biggest monthly decline since November 2013.

It added private sector new housing, which had driven growth in the construction sector in 2013, fell by 6.3 per cent in February, which was the biggest fall for nearly a year.