The John Lewis Partnership said its 84,700 employees would receive the equivalent of nearly nine weeks' pay after increasing its total bonus pot to £210.8 million.

Each worker - from weekend check-out assistants to chairman Charlie Mayfield - receives the same percentage of salary as a bonus.

The employee-owned firm unveiled the haul after reporting pre-tax, pre-bonus profits of £409.6 million for the 12 months to January 26 and said the current year had started well, with like-for-like sales up 13.7% at its department store chain.