GDP figures for second quarter from Office for National Statistics surprise City analysts who had expected a 0.2% drop

Britain's economic output collapsed by 0.7% in the second quarter of 2012 as the country's double-dip recession extended into a third quarter.

Across-the-board weakness in manufacturing and construction coupled with the loss of output caused by the extra bank holiday to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee were responsible for the setback, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

Analysts in the City had expected a 0.2% drop in gross domestic product in the three months to June and were stunned by the scale of the fall in activity. The decline followed the 0.3% fall in the first three months of 2012 and a 0.4% decline in the final quarter of 2011.

Construction output dropped by 5.2% between the first and second quarters of 2012, with industrial production falling by 1.3% and service sector output by 0.1%

The first double-dip recession since the mid-1970s – when the UK was beset by high inflation and rising unemployment – meant GDP in the second quarter of 2012 was 0.8% lower than in the same three months of 2011.

Officials at the ONS said it was hard to assess the full impact of June's additional public holiday on GDP in the second quarter, but officials expect a bounce back from the loss of production in the third quarter, when the London Olympics should also provide a boost to activity.

The news will come as a fresh blow to the chancellor, George Osborne, whose deficit reduction plans have been thrown off course by the poor performance of the economy. Output has declined in five of the last seven quarters.

Osborne said: "We all know the country has deep-rooted economic problems and these disappointing figures confirm that.

"We're dealing with our debts at home and the debt crisis abroad. We've made progress over the last two years in cutting the deficit by 25% and businesses have created over 800,000 new jobs.

"But given what's happening in the world we need a relentless focus on the economy and recent announcements on infrastructure and lending show that's exactly what we're doing."

The data shocked City analysts. Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight said the figures were "a very nasty surprise indeed". And Labour were swift to criticise the chancellor. Rachel Reeves, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, tweeted that the 0.7% contraction was a "disastrous verdict on George Osborne's failed plan".