The UK’s longest and deepest recession finally came to an end in the last three months of 2009, official figures showed today.

A 0.1% expansion in the economy between October and December ended six straight quarters of shrinking output, according to first estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Overall, the economy slumped 4.8% last year - the biggest annual contraction since records began in 1949 - and it has lost 6% since the recession began in 2008.