Families are paying record prices for food after costs soared in the year to February, with a rate increase exceeded only by fuel costs.

Annual food product inflation has reached 8.4% - the highest since records began in 1986 - according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Meat prices were the main culprit of spiralling costs as fresh and preserved meat prices rose 5.5% from January to February.

Food manufacturers such as Hovis bread maker Premier Foods have been labouring under rising wheat costs.

Imported cereal product prices are up more than 6% over the month and surging by almost 47% in the year to February.

Manufacturing firms' raw materials prices rose at record rates after fresh peaks in crude oil costs, which rose 3.3% over the month.

The input price index for materials and fuels purchased by manufacturing industry rose 19.4% in the year to February and rose 1.3% between January and February. The rise in the input index between January and February mainly reflected a rise in the price of crude oil, which yesterday hit a new high of $107 a barrel.

Over the year the price of petrol at the pump - and other consumer petroleum products - rose by 23.4%.

Prices of imported materials as a whole - including imported crude oil - rose 1.7% between January and February.

There was consolation for shoppers - the price of clothing and textiles rose by just 0.8%, and the price of electrical and optical goods remained steady.

Overall factory-gate inflation was sustained at 16-year highs of 5.7%, continuing the headache for policymakers on the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) charged with keeping a lid on prices.

Global Insight's chief UK economist Howard Archer said: "The weaker pound reinforced the upward pressures coming from high oil, metal and food prices.

"This further jump in input prices maintains pressure on manufacturers to try to raise their prices to support their margins."

The ONS data also showed manufacturers staging a surprise comeback in January. The sector saw output grow by 0.4% between December and January after two months of decline.

Hints of recovery and elevated inflation levels will add weight to the MPC's caution over cutting rates too quickly. Last week it held borrowing costs unchanged at 5.25%.

"The Bank of England will continue to cut interest rates only gradually in the near term at least," Mr Archer added.

"Going forward the manufacturing sector seems set to lose momentum, and the Bank will be desperately hoping that this at least dilutes manufacturers' pricing power."

Manufacturing output was driven by higher production of machinery and equipment as well as chemicals - where output rose 2% and 1.4% respectively - offsetting a 1.3% fall in transport equipment.

The ONS's less volatile quarterly figures showed manufacturing output unchanged in the three months to January.