SALES at Wickes owner Travis Perkins slowed in its last three months as the economic squeeze deterred people from buying new kitchens and bathrooms.

The plumbing, builders’ merchant and DIY group said total like-for-like sales rose by 5.9% in the nine months to September 30, compared with a 7.2% rise in the first six months.

Wickes, the 200-strong DIY chain which has a store at Longroyd Bridge, was hit hardest with same-store sales down by 2% in the last 13 weeks.

Problems in the sector have seen rivals Focus DIY and Moben go under this year.

Kitchen and bathroom sales at Wickes have fallen by 12.4% in the past nine months. Sales of other core products rose 2.7%.