The number of mortgages approved for house purchase in September is 57 per cent down on a year ago, figures have shown.

However, the British Bankers' Association said mortgage approvals rose slightly during last month.

A total of 23,422 loans for house purchase were approved, 10 per cent more than in August, when numbers slumped to a new record low.

There was also a rise in net mortgage lending, which strips out redemptions and repayments, with this rising to £3.6 billion, up from just £2.1 billion in August, the lowest figure since February 2001.

© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.