The owner of Edinburgh Woollen Mill Philip Day has reportedly put in a surprise bid for Dobbies Garden Centres.
It comes just a few weeks after Terra Firma founder and chairman Guy Hands - owner of the Wyevale chain - reportedly hired Goldman Sachs to draft a bid for the garden centre chain.

Tesco, which has owned Dobbies since 2008, brought in investment bankers from Greenhill to sound out buyers for the garden centre chain, which has suffered significant revenue losses in recent years.

The sale of Dobbies is thought to be scheduled to take place before the EU referendum vote on June 23, and will be for between £175m and £200m according to Horticultural Week.

Other potential suitors in the mix for Dobbies include Nicholas Marshall, James Barnes, Andy King and Carlyle Hedge Fund.