Women's fashion and beauty brands are some of the worst offenders in the gender pay gap league tables, the last-minute rush to file results ahead of Wednesday's deadline revealed.

The high street brands Karen Millen, Phase Eight and Sweaty Betty are among the worst 2 per cent of all companies in paying women lower hourly wages.

More than 2,500 companies, equivalent to one in four, submitted their gender pay gap figures in the 48 hours before midnight. All businesses employing 250 or more people had to comply or face a fine.

Of the total, 149 companies had pay gaps worse than 50 per cent - meaning they pay women 50p an hour or less for every £1 they pay men.

The vast majority - more than 7,300 - pay men more per hour than they do women.

Of the worst 100 hourly wage gaps, nearly half belonged to schools, largely academies. Four academy trusts - Schoolsworks, Hatton, Compass and Wimborne - all have gaps of between 61 and 62 per cent. Of the private schools with highest gender pay gaps, Westminster School revealed a 53.5 per cent hourly gap.

Airlines, particularly budget ones like Ryanair, EasyJet and Flybe, reported high wage gap figures. Ryanair had the highest at 71.8 per cent.