LONDON (Reuters) - The number of mortgages approved by British lenders rose to an 18-month high in March, Bank of England data showed on Tuesday.

Lenders approved 61,325 mortgages in March, up from 60,497 in February and the highest total since September 2022. A Reuters poll of economists had pointed to approvals of around 61,500 mortgages.

(Reporting by Andy Bruce; editing by David Milliken)