NatWest has reported a sharp rise in first-half profits to £3.6bn, following a week of high-profile resignations.

The board of NatWest, which is 39% owned by the taxpayer, remains under pressure over the row.

The profits were better than expected and up from £2.6bn a year earlier. Despite this, its share price has fallen by more than 6% over the week.

The results come after a tough few days for the bank, which saw its chief executive and the boss of its Coutts division quit over the closure of Nigel Farage's account.

Mortgage arrears of between one and three months increased 28.5% to £171m, compared to the same period last year.

Arrears of more than three months rose slightly, to £238m from £233m last year.

NatWest's chief financial officer, Katie Murray, said that while arrears during the first six months of its financial year "remain low, we know that people, families and businesses are anxious about their finances and many are really struggling".

"We are being proactive in our support for those who are hardest hit," she said.

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