CURRYS and PC World owner Dixons Retail is to sell a loss-making European business in the wake of its merger deal with Carphone Warehouse.

Dixons will dispose of its ElectroWorld home electronics chain, which runs 26 stores in central Europe, to Slovak-based rival NAY.

The stores, based in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, made a loss before tax of £5.6 million on sales of £129 million in the year to April.

As well as stores in the UK and Ireland, Dixons has operations in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland through the Elkjop brand and in Greece through Kotsovolos.

Dixons chief executive Sebastian James said: "Following this transaction Dixons will be a market leader in every market in which it operates."