UK manufacturing output continued to decline in March, but the falls were not as severe as had been expected the BBC has reported.

It fell 5.5% in the quarter, compared with the previous three months, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, which was the worst since 1948.

But March output was down 0.1% month on month, its smallest fall in 13 months.

The ONS also announced that the UK's trade deficit narrowed to £2.5bn in March from £2.8bn in February, which was also better than had been expected.