Lego, the Danish toy manufacturer has shunned recession as it reported a two-thirds increase in pre-tax profits to £99.5 million.

UK sales rose by 20%, while total sales soared to £469 million during the first half of the running year.

Lego claimed to be country's 3rd largest toy producer enjoying 4.1% market share as compared with 3.2% in the previous year.

City range plus Star Wars toys were reported as Lego's bestsellers.

However, MD of Lego UK, Marko Ilincic said, "As the bulk of toy sales occur in the run-up to Christmas, considerable uncertainty remains about the full year result."

A Billund-based carpenter named Ole Kirk Christiansen had founded the Lego Group in 1932, when he srarted producing wooden toys. He named the company Lego, coined from "leg godt", means play well.

The group faced its darkest time in the beginning of 2004. At that time it reported a deficit worth £144 million.

At present, Lego sells its toys in more than 130 countries around the world.