Department store Debenhams hailed a resurgent year on the high street as it announced plans to open another 17 UK stores over the next five years.

The move - which is set to create 1,700 jobs and add more than £150m in sales - comes on top of a nationwide store revamp programme which has seen 18 shops modernised over the past year.

Debenhams is also ramping up its overseas expansion drive, with plans to boost its international franchise by another 20 over the next four years and increase online orders to a further 30 countries.

The group revealed its expansion plans as it reported a 4.2% rise in pre-tax profits to £158.3m for the year to September 1 after a recent sales revival.

Exclusive ranges from a star line-up of fashion designers - including Henry Holland and Julien MacDonald - helped the group grow its share of the competitive womenswear market, with group-wide like-for-like sales up 1.6% excluding VAT over the year.

The locations for the 17 new stores in the pipeline include Cheshire Oaks, Fort Kinnaird, Beverley, Wandsworth, Scunthorpe, Darlington, Shrewsbury and Newport, South Wales.