Shoppers spent more than £1 billion in Leicester last year, according to an annual retail survey.

The figure has seen Leicester placed 14th in a league table of the most popular shopping cities in the UK.

The study also ranked Fosse Park as the third most popular retail park in the country, with shoppers parting with £220million of their cash there.

Highcross manager Mark Murphy, who took over the reins just 10 weeks ago, said he was not surprised by Leicester's high ranking.

He said: "We are getting a massive amount of people coming through our doors.

"Spending figures for Leicester are so high because of the bigger shops like House of Fraser and Debenhams."

Highcross attracts about 365,000 shoppers a week, with each person spending an average of £70.

Last year saw a 12 per cent rise in the amount of visitors with cars to Highcross and a 20 per cent increase in the number of late-night shoppers.

Mr Murphy said: "Highcross encourages shoppers to visit the other shops in the area and they are doing well also."

The survey, by Consolidated Analysis Centre Inc, said shoppers in Leicester parted with a total of £1.04 billion of their cash.

The survey placed London's West End top of the table with shoppers spending more than £3 billion last year.

Birmingham came in third, Nottingham sixth and Derby was 33rd.

Martin Traynor, chief executive of the Chamber of Commerce, said: "It's excellent news that demonstrates that we have made Leicester into a regional shopping destination.

"The attraction of Highcross has made us one of the best destinations in the country."

Andy Hall, owner of Original Cookware, in St Martins Square, was not surprised by the news.

He said: "I think Leicester is a great place to shop with a good mix of big chain shops and little independents.

"I get people coming from Nottingham just to shop at my shop because they don't have anything like it in the city centre.

"Let's aim for the top 10 next year."

Many shoppers in the city yesterday were not surprised by Leicester's strong showing, citing the Highcross centre as the reason.

Simon Grant, 20, a student from Mountsorrel, said: "I came in especially just to go to the Highcross as I think it has a great range of shops.

"I love shopping in Leicester because its pedestrianised and not all crammed in."

Diane Laidlaw, 51, a cook from Aylestone said: "You can find pretty much anything you need in Leicester."

But Neil Parr, 53, a car parts supplier from Kirby Muxloe, said: "Highcross is very good with great shops but I think it has taken shoppers away from independent shops elsewhere."

James Walker, 25, a barman who lives in the city centre, agrees.

He said: "I much prefer to spend my time in the smaller, more personal shops in the city, although sometimes I will go out and pay a visit to Fosse Park."