Carpeting for floor firm's recent sales

EMBATTLED flooring firm Carpetright delivered more gloom yesterday, after it said recent sales fell short of expectations and it set out a warning over the year ahead.

The group issued a profits alert only last month and dashed hopes of a year-end sales revival after reporting that fourth-quarter sales growth so far had slowed markedly to 1.5 per cent from 2.3 per cent in the previous three months.

Freezing weather in January and February hit demand, the company said.