The firm which publishes the Mirror newspaper has discussed a �1.3bn ($2.1bn) takeover approach from two venture capital firms, a report has said.

The offer for Trinity Mirror - which also publishes the People and more than 200 regional newspapers - came from Apax Partners and Candover, according to the Sunday Telegraph.

A spokesman for Trinity Mirror told BBC News Online that the company did not comment on takeover speculation.

But he added: "If there was a serious offer from any source we have a duty to our shareholders to consider it."

Talks still on?

The venture capital firms approached Trinity Mirror late last year, and are reported to have discussed a possible offer of 450p a share.

The sum is considerably higher than Trinity's Friday closing share price of 369.5p.

The offer is understood to have been mentioned to Trinity Mirror's board, but no follow-up approach has been made.

However, one unnamed source told the Sunday Telegraph that although the talks have gone quiet "to say this situation is not serious is wrong".

There has been much speculation about the future of Trinity Mirror, with reports that the national and regional divisions could be separated.

The group's new chief executive, Sly Bailey, begins her new job on Monday.

She previously headed IPC Magazines during its �1.15bn takeover by AOL Time Warner in 2001.