Sandwich chain Pret A Manger has served up a record set of full-year results, helped by sales of coconut porridge and vegetarian-only options.

Pret saw sales rise 15% to hit a record £776.2 million in 2016, while operating profit grew 11% to £93.2 million.

Like-for-like sales rose 4.8% as the firm's US business broke the 200 million dollars mark for the first time.

The group, majority-owned by private equity firm Bridgepoint, hailed its dairy-free coconut porridge, which now accounts for one in five porridge sales in the UK.

The firm also opened its first vegetarian-only pop-up in London's Soho last year, which will now be made permanent, with a second Veggie Pret opened earlier this month in Shoreditch.

Chief executive Clive Schlee said: "This is another year of record results for Pret and our 12th consecutive year of revenue and EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) growth.

"Pret's simple recipe of freshly-made food and fast, friendly service allows us to flourish in diverse locations around the world."

Pret opened 50 new shops during 2016, including 31 in the UK, nine in the US, five in France, three in Hong Kong, one in Shanghai and a first in Dubai.

The chain has 444 stores globally, with Mr Schlee adding that the 500th is set to open over the next 12 months.

Pret created 839 full-time jobs in 2016 and the firm confirmed it will launch a programme this summer to offer 500 week-long paid work experience placements to UK school students.

The chain's human resources chief said last month that the chain will struggle to staff its cafes after Brexit because just one in 50 job applicants is British.