Pet retail chain Jollyes said it will create around 150 new jobs as it opens 20 new shops to deal with increased demand from Britons who bought animals during the pandemic.

The company said that it had seen significant growth over the past two years and was accelerating its plans by opening the new sites within the next 18 months.

It said that some of the new shops would be opened after buying smaller rivals, while others would be brand new.

The retailer, which has 67 shops across the country, saw its sales increase by 21% in the last three months compared to the same quarter two years earlier.

Richard Cotter, executive chairman of Jollyes, said: “While remaining open throughout the pandemic to serve pet lovers has not been easy because of the added cost and complexity, our people have more than risen to the challenge, and we’ve enjoyed a very successful year with sensational progress.

“We’re excited about our future; we’ve worked hard to build a strong platform that will allow us to do much more – new and better stores, wider ranges and further investment in our people as we bring their passion for pets to more communities across the UK.”