LONDON, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- British manufacturing sector shrugged off Brexit worries to expand in the quarter up to December, a survey released Wednesday revealed.

The Industrial Trends Survey of 346 manufacturers ended on Dec. 12 was taken by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the main business representative body.

Output rose in the three months to December, rising further above the long-run average according to the survey, which found that output expanded in 15 out of 17 sub-sectors, with growth driven mainly by the food and drink and tobacco, mechanical engineering, and chemicals sectors.

40 percent of firms said the volume of output over the past three months was up, 17 percent said it was down, giving a balance of plus 23 percent, well above the long-term trend of plus 4 percent and a reversal of the negative figures seen in October.

Reflecting uncertainties over the direction of Brexit, firms in the survey said they expected output growth to slow over the next three months as Britain and the European Union (EU) came closer to the formal March 29, 2019 Brexit date without a firm exit deal agreed.

Total order books remained firm in December, according to the survey, staying well above their long-run average.

Lower sterling, driven down against foreign currencies by Brexit uncertainties, helped exports, with 27 percent of firms reporting their export order books were above normal, and 13 percent said they were below normal, giving a balance of plus 14 percent -- the highest figure since January this year.

"Foreign demand picked up appreciably in December as the export orders balance climbed to an 11-month high, well above the long-term average," said Howard Archer, chief economic adviser to the EY ITEM Club, a financial analysis firm.

Archer added: "Manufacturers' near-term output expectations improved for a second month running in December after plunging to a three-year low in October."