The department store chain John Lewis has seen a 60% jump in profits during the summer.

The employee-owned partnership, which also includes the supermarket Waitrose, said that strong online growth helped it post an 8.6% rise in revenues to £3.9bn and profits of £144.5m in the six months to 28 July.

The group has also benefited from the launch of new technology, such as Apple's iPad, and the switchover to digital television in the UK.

Charlie Mayfield, the chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, told the Today programme's business presenter Simon Jack that "big national events" had been of benefit to the company and that the year had seen more favourable conditions for the group.

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