A warm start to the year helped the DIY retailer achieve sales of £1,008m, with sales of outdoor seasonal and building products soaring by 30%.
According to the latest set of results from parent firm Kingfisher, B&Q had a good start to the year with like-for-like (LFL) sales for the quarter to May 3, 2014 grow by 9.7%.

Outdoor seasonal and building products account for nearly a third of B&Q's sales in the first quarter and, with the recent warm weather, many lines within these categories performed well, helping the retailer achieve positive sales growth.

Since the retailer launched its easyGrow bedding plants with Teabag Technology in April, more than 2.7m packs have been sold versus 1.64m polystyrene packs the previous year.

Customers have been making the most of a warm spring, with B&Q reporting that it sold 96,000 barbecues during the period, with sales of gas barbecues up 22% and charcoal barbecues up 43%.

Other outdoor living ranges that received a boost included parasols, which were up 57%, while rattan and resin furniture was up 59% and metal furniture saw sales increases of 33%.

After Britain was battered by storms earlier in the year B&Q saw sales of fencing surge by 86% and, so far this year, the retailer has sold 326,000 panels.

Meanwhile, sales of indoor products were up around 3% during the period.

Kingfisher stablemate Screwfix also had a good first quarter, with total sales growing 24.2% to £192m, up 12% on a LFL basis.

Kingfisher said the retail chain benefited from "a strong promotional programme" in Q1 and will continue with its rollout of new stores, while working to improve on the success of its mobile 'click, pay & collect' offer.

Screwfix opened nine new trade counters during Q1, growing its UK portfolio to 344 outlets.

As a group, taking into account international retail operations, such as Castorama and Brico Depot, Kingfisher posted a total and LFL sales increase of 6.1% to £2.8bn.

Group chief executive, Sir Ian Cheshire, said: "We have made a strong start to the year, capitalising on more favourable weather conditions right across Europe to achieve sales and profit growth in France, the UK & Poland, our three largest markets."

Kingfisher said it will continue with its 'Creating the Leader' programme of self-help initiatives through the remainder of the financial year.