Latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show construction output rebounded in the period April to June 2010, helping boost UK GDP growth to higher than expected levels.

Construction's unexpected output spike helped accelerate the overall UK economy into a 1.1% rise in the second quarter, almost twice the rate analysts had expected.

In fact, construction's ability to drive growth was underlined by a 0.4% contribution to overall GDP, equal with the financial services sector as the biggest contributors.

In the first quarter of 2010 construction output fell 1.6%.

Construction economist Brian Green said the surge could be explained by the harshness of the winter in the previous months.

But he said spending cuts were likely to start to take their toll on future output figures.

Green said: "This looks like an unexpected last hurrah for construction before spending cuts bite."

Ian McCafferty, CBI chief economic adviser, said: "The second quarter will have been boosted by a sharp turn in the inventory cycle as firms have taken action to rebuild stocks, as well as strong growth in government expenditure.

"These two factors are likely to fade in the second half of the year, and we expect that growth will be more modest into 2011."

Analysts also urged caution in interpreting the figures, which were based for the first time on a new monthly survey cycle.