BOOKMAKER Ladbrokes Coral has said tough high street conditions are hitting its betting shops, while sporting results "gave with one hand and took with the other" in a turbulent start to the year.

The group saw a seven per cent plunge in bets made over the counter in its shops between January 1 and April 23 amid a "challenging" retail environment and as it focuses on online betting.

A better performance from machines in its betting shops left overall net revenues two per cent lower across the chain.

Chief executive Jim Mullen said over-the-counter stakes "continue to exhibit the negative trends reported since the middle of 2016, driven by the challenging UK high street environment and our own focus on the multi-channel opportunity".

Online betting turnover surged 22 per cent, helping overall net revenues lift five per cent, or two per cent higher with currency effects stripped out.

The group, formed from the £2.3 billion merger of Ladbrokes and Coral in November, also reported back on a mixed set of sporting results, with One for Arthur's victory in the Grand National last month breaking a five-year run of bookmaker-friendly results in the race.

It added that the amount it earned from the Aintree event was also behind last year, while a better January and February for football results was later reversed, with last month particularly bad as April 4 saw 14 out of 15 of the best-backed teams win.

Mr Mullen said: "Sporting results in the UK gave with one hand and took with the other but we are probably marginally ahead overall."

Its European betting business suffered a difficult start to the year, with net revenues down 15 per cent on a constant currency basis after an "unusually bad" set of sports results in Italy.

Ladbrokes added the online market remains "highly competitive", but said there was an industry-wide push to keep existing customers.

Shares fell four per cent after the update.