Many UK brick production facilities were mothballed or scaled back after the last recession hit and were unprepared for the upsurge in demand from house-builders in 2013 and 2014 when it came.

Latest figures published by the Office for National Statistics show brick production in the UK has now responded, with close to a billikon bricks made in the UK in the first six months of 2015.

Brick Development Association chief executive Simon Hay said: “The brick industry has reacted swiftly in order to meet new demand by increasing brick production by nearly 7% in comparison to the same period in 2014, a tremendous effort by a capital-intensive industry.

“For the first time since the economic downturn, production is approaching 1 billion bricks in a six month period. Stock levels have also grown to nearly 450 million, a 33% rise in comparison to the stock levels at the first half of 2014, meaning choice in brick is now possible with reasonable lead in times.”