Wiseman is building a new dairy in Somerset

Wiseman paid �5.5m for Milk Link's fresh milk sector, made up of Peninsula Milk Processors and Newlands Farm.

The deal is dependent on confirmation from the Office of Fair Trading that sale will not be referred to the Competition Commission.

Milk Link sells around 32m litres a year from dairies in Pensilva, Cornwall and Okehampton, Devon.

As part of the deal, Wiseman will enter into a supply contract with Milk Link for its raw milk requirements in the south west.

Wiseman bought Definitely Devon, a co-operative of 21 dairy farmers, in March this year. The firm currently supplies about 1.4bn litres a year and has 24% of the market in Great Britain.

Chief executive Robert Wiseman said the deal complimented their plans to open a �46m dairy in Somerset in 2007.

"The integration of Milk Link's fresh liquid milk businesses will help us to provide extensive coverage through the south west of England," he said.