Desmonds Northern & Shell (N&S) and the Telegraph Group jointly own the Docklands-based newspaper printer and any change in ownership would trigger an agreement to give N&S the right to purchase.

Press Holdings International has offered Conrad Black 260m for Hollinger, which would give the Barclay Brothers 73% of the voting rights and 30% capital of Hollinger International. The board of Hollinger, which has started a 111m lawsuit against Black in the US, is reportedly currently considering its position.

A spokesman for N&S said that Desmond was keeping a keen eye on developments, but would not say if he intended to exercise his right to buy should the Telegraph Group change hands.

Telegraph tried to buy West Ferry Printers outright following United News and Medias sale of Express Newspapers to N&S in November 2000. This ended in a protracted legal battle between the Telegraph and N&S about how the value of the plant was calculated.

Story by John Davies