The UK economy has come out of recession, after figures showed the economy had grown by 0.1% in the last three months of 2009.The economy had previously contracted for six consecutive quarters - the longest period since quarterly figures were first recorded in 1955.
There have been recent recovery signs - last week UK unemployment fell for the first time in 18 months.
The UK's had been one of the last major economies still in recession.
Europe's two biggest economies - Germany and France - came out of recession last summer. Japan and the US also exited recession last year.
The UK recession began in the April-to-June quarter of 2008.
During 18 months of recession, public borrowing increased to an estimated £178bn, while output slumped by 6%.
First estimates of how the economy has performed are made with about 40% of the data available, and Investec economist David Page has warned there is "plenty of room for surprises" in the figures.
