Gross domestic product had also expanded by 0.8pc during the first quarter of the year, the Office for National Statistics said, confirming initial estimates provided last month. GDP grew by 3.2pc in the April-June period compared with the second quarter of 2013, slightly up on the initial estimate of 3.1pc. At 0.8pc quarter-on-quarter, Britain's economy overtook the size it achieved before the global financial crisis of 2008. While Britain's economy shows signs of solid recovery, growth in the 18-country euro zone ground to a halt in the second quarter, official data showed, dragged down by France and Germany and casting a cloud over the crisis-hit region.