DIY giant B&Q is eyeing a World Cup boost after bad weather put shoppers off making spring purchases.

The Hampshire-based retailer reported a 2.8 per cent fall in like-for-like UK sales as first quarter trading was hit by snow and a chillier March and April.

But B&Q owner Kingfisher said it had almost sold out of a garden gnome dressed in the England team kit ahead of the tournament kick-off next week, and was also selling wheelbarrows and gazebos decked with the England flag.

Chief Executive Ian Cheshire said: “I’m also sure that some of the effects of the World Cup will prompt people to buy the odd barbecue late on.”

The trading conditions contrasted with much better weather a year earlier although B&Q took some consolation from a 28 per cent jump in roof insulation sales.

Elsewhere year-on-year sales of decorating products were almost flat – down one per cent – while sales of more seasonal goods and building products were down five per cent as B&Q was also forced to cut prices.

Kingfisher, which also owns Screwfix, added that the roll-out of its TradePoint in-store merchanting into bigger B&Q outlets also disrupted trading.

The group, which spent £30m on TradePoint, hopes the move will boost its low share in the professional trade market and is aiming for national coverage by the end of the summer.

Mr Cheshire admitted the firm had seen a”tough first quarter”.

“The headwinds we anticipated at the start of the year look set to continue, but we are in good shape and well prepared,” he said.

Yet while B&Q total sales were down 2.1 per cent to £1.048 billion, its retail profits grew 12 per cent to £67m thanks to cost-saving measures.

At the end of January B&Q reported an annual 79 per cent improvement in profits to £195m.

B&Q employs 1,200 at its Chandler’s Ford head office and hundreds more in stores across the region.

It now has 119 large stores and 211 medium outlets in UK and Ireland.