Mortgage lending has reached a level not seen since the financial system's near-collapse triggered the global recession.Gross mortgage lending in June rose 2.0% to £15bn, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) said. Lending was up 26% from a year earlier.The total is the highest since October 2008 when the collapse of Lehman Brothers shattered financial confidence among lenders and borrowers. The increase in lending is the latest sign of revival in the UK's housing market after banks made more loans available and cut prices, prompting a return of first-time buyers. Activity has also been lifted by buoyant employment and consumer confidence as the economy shows signs of stronger growth.Ian Gordon, analyst at Investec, said he expected Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC to be the main gainers from the strong figures because they had boosted their mortgage lending.Gross lending for the second quarter of 2013 was £42bn, up 24% from the previous quarter and the highest estimate since the final three months of 2008.CML Chief Economist Bob Pannell said: "Improvements in the cost and availability of mortgage credit are underpinning a meaningful recovery in the housing market. "However, although the pace of first-time buyer activity is approaching a quarter of a million per annum, it is worth bearing in mind that this is still barely half of activity rates a decade earlier, and so far below what might be considered normal levels."