Can't save a node tree in a variable.

Can you please help me?I want to save the sorted tree in a variable.
Whats wrong with the following xsl:
<xsl:variable name="sorted">
                <xsl:apply-templates mode="copy" select="data/item"/>
        </xsl:variable>
        <xsl:template match="@*|node()">
                <xsl:copy>
                        <xsl:apply-templates select="@*|node()" mode="copy">
                                <xsl:sort select="@sector"/>
                                <xsl:sort select="@subsector"/>
                        </xsl:apply-templates>
                </xsl:copy>
        </xsl:template>

And then I want to perform smth. like this:$sorted/item/@sector.
How is it possible to realize such a thing?
  
  
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