Lego sales rise as parents steer children to activities away from smartphones

Record lift for Danish firm comes as sales for UK-based Yoto, creator of screen-free speakers for children, almost double

Lego said it could be benefiting from parents' desire to keep children - and themselves - away from smartphones as sales rose 12%, helped by strong sales of its Botanicals and Formula One grand prix-themed sets.

The Danish toy company said sales increased to a record 34.6bn Danish kroner (4bn) in the first half of the year, rising well ahead of the recovering global toy market in which sales rose 7%.