LONDON: Britain's 12-month inflation accelerated in June, driven by the rising cost of clothes, food, non-alcoholic drinks and air transport, official data showed on Tuesday.

The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation measure climbed to 1.9 percent, after reaching a 4.5-year low of 1.5 percent in May, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement.

The June reading outpaced market expectations of 1.6 percent, according to analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires.

The rate has now been at or below the Bank of England's government-set target level of 2.0 percent for seven months in a row -- the first time this has happened since 2005.

On a month-on-month basis, the CPI rose 0.2 percent in June. Analysts had forecast a drop of 0.1 percent.