UK retailer WH Smith has been linked with a possible £50 million bid for stationery chain Paperchase. Paperchase has been put up for sale by US books and music group Borders and WH Smith is considering an approach, according to the Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

  

A tie-up between the two firms would add around 100 Paperchase UK stores to WH Smith's 1,000 existing shops on the high street and at motorway service areas, airports and train stations.

It would be the latest acquisition move for WH Smith chief executive Kate Swann after her £19 million deal to strengthen the group's presence in hospitals across the UK by buying UNS Hospitals in March.