Lego sales fall by £16million amid fears that online games such as Fortnite are denting the appeal

Sales of Lego have fallen in Britain for the first time in 13 years amid fears that children are losing interest.

Sales were £269.6million in 2017 – down 6 per cent on a year earlier – while profits dropped from £11.4million to £10.8million.

It came as Lego hired 88 extra staff to give it a UK workforce of 687 people.

The Danish firm has enjoyed years of success after gaining a fresh lease of life through tie-ups with brands including Star Wars and Harry Potter.

But it is feared that the rise of smartphones and video games such as Fortnite are denting the appeal of its models.

Earlier this year, the company revealed that worldwide sales dropped 8 per cent to £4.2billion in 2017, while overall profits fell for the first time since 2003.

The sales figures equate to around 75billion Lego bricks a year, which are sold in more than 140 countries.

But it is feared that the rise of smartphones and video games such as Fortnite are denting the appeal of its models

British chief executive Bali Padda – the first non-Dane to hold the job – was axed last year after just eight months. He was replaced by Niels Christiansen, who vowed to make radical reforms.

He insisted there would be no easy solution to Lego’s woes, before cutting 1,400 jobs worldwide – or 8 per cent of the workforce. 

Announcing the global results in March, Mr Christiansen said: ‘There is no quick fix and it will take some time to achieve longer-term growth.’

Chief executive vowed there would be no ‘quick fix’ to solving Lego’s woes