MORRISONS TURNAROUND BOOST FROM HALLOWEEN

During Halloween, Morrisons sold more than 1m pumpkins

It also sold 5,000 giant Rambo pumpkins, so big they take three people to lift

And shoppers bought 140,000 scary witch and wizards outfits

For Halloween night customers snapped up 20,000 Hotter Than Hell pizzas

But posher meals also did well - Morrisons sold 12,000 Canadian lobster and Cromer crab Macaroni meals

The supermarket was started by egg and butter merchant William Morrison in 1899 as a market stall

BUMPER sales of pumpkins and Halloween outfits boosted Morrisons, which said its turnaround is well under way.

Britain’s fourth-biggest grocer has struggled in recent years but yesterday reported its fourth consecutive quarter of sales growth.

The supermarket chain credited Halloween and its new premium Best range for a 1.6pc rise in sales for the three months to October 30.

Chief executive David Potts said: ‘By listening to customers, Morrisons is becoming more relevant around key seasons and events. This year’s Halloween was our biggest ever. We are turning around this company. There is a lot more we plan to do.’

The new Best range of upmarket foods was introduced a few weeks ago and sales are up 50pc. It has already sold 12,000 Canadian lobster and Cromer crab macaroni meals, which cost £6.

Potts said: ‘If people get a bit more of what they want, prices are a bit better and a few a more tills are open, then we are making progress.’

The firm had been a laggard among the Big Four grocers. It was late to sell its groceries online and launch convenience stores, which were later closed.

Shares rose 1pc, or 2.1p, to 223.4p.