by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Small firms have stepped up their demands for the government to avert a "bumpy ride" by backing business growth.

Following figures showing that the UK economy grew by 0.8 per cent, more than many experts had predicted, the Federation of Small Businesses in Kent and Medway said that a third of small firms had grown in the past three months.

Another 36 per cent expect to grow in the coming months.

But Andrew Aves, regional organiser for the 6.800-member FSB Kent and Medway, said that optimism was undermined by falling confidence in key sectors such as construction and retail.

"The GDP figures lend further weight to predictions that the UK faces a bumpy road to recovery," Mr Aves said.

"It is now vital that the government puts in place a Small Business Programme for Growth immediately to incentivise the small business community, promote growth and help small firms take on new staff."

The CBI, the employers organisation with members across the county, welcomed the latest GDP figures which suggest that construction activity has begun to pick up.

Ian McCafferty, its chief economic adviser, said: "Growth in the UK economy was much stronger than expected again, and momentum in the recovery appears to be holding up well.

"Growth was broad-based, with manufacturing activity remaining buoyant, and services continuing to grow firmly.

"The strength of production within the construction sector was the main surprise."