Nobleford Investments has extended its offer for Ire-tex by two weeks. Its offer had secured acceptance from shareholders representing 69.91 per cent of the shares before the original closing date last Tuesday. That was just over 10 per cent shy of the 80 per cent required for a successful bid.

Nobleford is a private company in which former Ire-tex chairman Mr Paul Burke holds a 99.7 per cent shareholding.

Nobleford has been competing for Ire-tex with a management-led team headed by the company's managing director, Mr Paul Mc Laughlin. A spokesman for that bid declined to comment yesterday.