Sales at Ann Summers have soared 78% year-on-year helped by the phenomenal success of erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey.

The retailer said online sales rocketed 50%.

More than 5,000 copies of the bestselling book are being sold through Ann Summers stores each week, an unprecedented number according to the retailer, and products referenced in the book are also soaring.

Ann Summers said it is selling 15 times as many ‘Jiggle Balls’ as it was three months ago. Sales of whips, also referred to in the book, have doubled year-on-year.

The retailer has also launched Pleasure Emporium, a dedicated online store featuring an array of 70 toys.

Ann Summers advertised its new sex toy offering with TV adverts aired during the Channel 4 documentary Sex Story: Fifty Shades of Grey which was broadcast on Sunday. During the show the retailer trended on Twitter and the surge in traffic caused its website to crash.