Supermarket chain Morrison's emerged as one of the big winners in the battle for customers last year.

Delighted management announced yesterday that it had gained more than 50,000 customers in the past 12 months.

The Bradford group, which operates 110 supermarkets, including many in the North-East, has shunned loyalty cards and home-shopping to focus on its "best for less" strategy - good service and low prices.

Managing director John Dowd said its decision to "ignore the peripherals" had paid off last year, with three million people now shopping at Morrisons' stores each week.

The extra customers helped Morrison's achieve a 9.1 per cent increase in like-for-like sales in the year to February 4. Pre-tax profits shot up by 16 per cent to £219m, ahead of the City's expectations.

The company plans to press ahead with additional stores, including Redcar and Newcastle. Mr Dowd said this would create about 1,500 jobs.

Mr Dowd said: "We keep it simple, we give good service and value and this attracts people.

"I don't think we have won customers from any one place. All our competitors are fair game.''

Morrison's group turnover increased to £3.5bn, compared to just under £3bn the year before, fuelled by a strong 42.2 per cent increase in petrol sales.

The sales performance came, however, despite strong comparative figures from the year before.

Mr Dowd said seven stores would be opened this year, including the group's first in south Wales, at Newport.

He said the chain was still looking to open more stores in the South, but ruled out expansion into Scotland for now.

"Our distribution depots are in Cheshire and Yorkshire, and that's a heck of a trek," he said.

Shareholders will receive a total dividend of 1.8p per share, a 20 per cent increase on last time.