Second-round bids were due yesterday (8 February), and there have been reports that Trinity Mirror (TM) and Johnston Press are out of the running.

Johnston Press managing director Tim Bowdler said he was tired of reading about what his company was and was not going to do.

"What I will say is that a good deal of the speculation is way off the mark," said Bowdler.

"There's a process, which we're taking a close interest in. I'm simply not going to be drawn on any of the speculation."

A report in The Times on 2 February said Johnston Press would seek funding from shareholders if it won the auction, tipped to be worth over 1.2bn.

In subsequent reports, Johnston Press is said to have pulled out of the auction; instead looking to "cherry-pick assets" from the eventual buyer.

TM, fronted by UK private equity firm CVC Capital, is also said to have dropped out.

A TM spokesman refused to confirm or deny the speculation, but said it was "still watching with interest".

Regional publisher News-quest was tipped by The Independent to be the frontrunner.

Some Northcliffe dailies
- Bath Chronicle

- Bristol Evening Post

- Derby Evening Telegraph

- Exeter Express and Echo

- Hull Daily Mail

- Leicester Mercury

- Plymouth Evening Herald

- South Wales Evening Post

- Gloucestershire Echo