SUPERMARKET group Morrisons yesterday reported an 8.1 per cent leap in its thirdquarter sales, thanks to the chain’s value ranges and cut price deals.

The group, which has branches throughout the North-East and North Yorkshire, said its efforts to keep shopping bills and fuel costs down had been extremely popular, with more than 700,000 new shoppers visiting its stores each week.

Morrisons said it had agreed to buy 38 former Somerfield and Co-operative Food stores for £223.1m.

Like-for-like sales including fuel for the 13 weeks to November 2 rose 13.3 per cent.

The sales rise builds on a 7.6 per cent rise seen in the first half of the year as cash-strapped shoppers search around for the best deals.

It also far outstrips sales figures reported by Tesco earlier this week, when the sector leader reported a two per cent increase in like-for-like sales in its worst performance since the last recession.

Morrisons chief executive Marc Bolland said: “In this challenging economic environment, more customers than ever before are choosing Morrisons.

“Our industry-leading deals and unique fresh food offers have attracted over 700,000 new customers to our stores.”

Morrisons – Britain’s fourth largest supermarket chain – described the Co-op and Somerfield stores acquisition as its first big deal since the Safeway takeover in 2004.

It will add the shops to its portfolio of 150 smaller stores, with the outlets boosting its total space by just under five per cent.

But the group indicated it was not a front-runner to snap up stores from the ailing Woolworths empire, which are generally in small high street positions.

It said: “We are not into the convenience market – the Woolworths end is much more that sort of size of store.”

Morrisons’ third-quarter sales growth was its highest since the Safeway deal four years ago. It said trade had been strongest across London, the South of England and Scotland.

The group has re-launched cheaper lines, slashed prices and launched promotions, including a Sunday lunch for four for £4, which attracted 250,000 shoppers.

Shares in Morrisons rose two per cent at one stage on the better-than-expected sales increase.