A MYSTERY bidder has emerged with a potential rival bid for the troubled Salterforth-based beds to furniture group Silentnight.

Chairman Roger Pedder said the independent directors had been approached by a third party with a possible offer for the company.

The Silentnight board has already agreed an offer from the family of company founder Tom Clarke to buy the shares it does not already own.

Soundersleep, a company controlled by the Clarkes, has offered 155p per share for the 49 per cent of the business outside of their control.

In a statement to the stock exchange, Mr Pedder and fellow independent director David Adam said the third party was interested in making a full, partial, tender or joint offer.

Soundersleep, however, has said it has no interest in selling its shares to any other party or in making a joint offer with another group.

The independent directors said there were insufficient grounds to change their recommendation to shareholders to accept the Clarke family's offer, but confirmed talks would continue with the unknown third party.