SCORES of staff at nine Hampshire Marks & Spencer stores are looking forward to a share scheme windfall on the back of bumper Christmas sales.

The food and fashion retailer yesterday posted like-for-like sales increase of 5.6 per cent from October to December.

Total sales for the third quarter, including new stores, were up 9.2 per cent.

M&S chief executive Stuart Rose said: "We have now delivered growth on growth in all areas of our business, thus completing the first part of our recovery plan.'' The results will mean about a fifth of the hundreds of staff employed at M&S stores in Winchester, Fareham, Southampton's West Quay and Hedge End among others, are expected to pocket gains of more than £1,000 through the firm's share scheme.

The employees, many on the shop floor, have saved between £50 and £250 per month over the three, five or seven-year share schemes, which will pay out at the end of the month.

Those who saved the maximum £250 a month in the three-year scheme will have made gains of more than £20,000 on their original investment of £9,000.

Mr Rose said: "We're delighted that so many of our people have benefited from Sharesave this year and that their faith in M&S and their hard work has been rewarded.'' M&S share prices have risen from 228p three years ago to 714p yesterday.

The latest Sharesave initiative was launched in November 2006.

One in four eligible employees signed up.

Employees save on a monthly basis for a fixed term and use their savings, plus a bonus, to buy shares at a 20 per cent discount to the market price.

Those that have not benefited with a windfall this year will have schemes that mature in future years.

M&S joined John Lewis, which is one of the anchor stores at WestQuay shopping centre, as one of the retailers to buck a trend of falling sales in December.

John Lewis said like-for-like sales in the five weeks to January 6 rose 10.8 per cent, following three successive weeks of record sales.