A NORTH-EAST made vehicle has helped the number of new cars sold in the UK reach a record 1.3 million.

New figures show 1,376,889 vehicles were produced in the first six months of the year, a seven per cent rise on the same period last year.

The statistics, released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), showed the Ford Fiesta was the best seller, with 12,543 models bought last month.

The Vauxhall Corsa was the next popular, standing at 9,561 sales, with the Nissan Qashqai, made at the Japanese firm's Sunderland plant, fifth on the list thanks to 7,140 sales in June.

According to year-to-date figures, the Fiesta is again the top selling model, with 71,990 deals, followed by the Corsa at 50,125 and the Ford Focus at 45,078.

The Qashqai was fifth on that list too, with 34,501 sales.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said June marked the 40th consecutive month of growth in the new car market, adding low interest rates, attractive finance deals and a stream of new models had helped lure buyers.

He added: “It is still a great time to buy a new car in the UK, and it is encouraging to see more consumers choosing British models.

“This is important for the wider economy, with 799,000 people now employed across the UK automotive sector, including retail.”