mortgage lending looks likely to remain strong after rising by a record amount during June.

The British Bankers' Association said a total of £17.95bn was advanced by the major banks during the month, the highest figure on record.

Net lending, which strips out redemptions and repayments, also hit a new high of £6.43bn on a seasonally adjusted basis, after a subdued rise in May.

The number of new loans approved also remained strong during June, with 230,200 mortgages worth £18.9bn approved.

This was the highest number of loans to be approved since Marc,h and four per cent above May's figure.

The growth was driven by a rise in the number of people remortgaging and releasing equity from their homes, while the number of mortgages approved for house purchases remained stable.

The average amount people buying a new property borrowed rose by nearly £3,000, compared with May's figure, to average £118,100, up from £100,000 in June last year.