Pre-tax profits in the six months to July rose 6% to £123.2m from £115.8m at the same stage a year ago, beating analysts' expectations of around £118m.

As a result of the good progress made in the six-month period, the company raised its interim dividend to 11p from 10p a share.

But its share price fell after the company said that sales had flattened off in recent weeks as hot weather kept shoppers away from the High Street.

Boss shrugs off criticism

Like-for-like retail sales in the six weeks since 3 August were up just 0.8% from a year ago - a figure which disappointed analysts because it was compared with a poor performance last autumn.

But chief executive Simon Wolfson said he was "comfortable" with the new season's ranges, dismissing some analysts' concerns that they lacked the 'wow' factor of previous seasons.

"This time last year, we had too much 'wow' and not enough good wearable contemporary clothing," he said, referring to last autumn's womenswear ranges, which Next admitted had been too fashionable and slim-fitting.

"I pay a lot more attention to the sales figures than I do to the commentators," he added.