Virgin Group head Sir Richard Branson confirmed that his company's financial division would examine possible bids for both nationalised bank Northern Rock and 600 branches up for sale at Lloyds.

He made the comments on a blog on Virgin's website and they were later confirmed by a company spokesman.

"Northern Rock put on block by Government. Virgin Money to look at figures to see if we can make them and Lloyds branches stack up," he wrote in his short blog, without giving any further detail.

Earlier this week, British chancellor George Osborne said the government was looking to find a buyer for Northern Rock, which had to be nationalised three years ago after nearly collapsing during the credit crisis, by the end of this year.

Virgin has consistently expressed its interest in both Northern Rock and Lloyds, along with other potential bidders such as new bank venture NBNK and National Australia Bank UK.

"These assets are up for sale and we'll be looking at them," said a Virgin Group spokesman.

The government injected £1.4 billion of taxpayers' money into Northern Rock to prop it up during the credit crisis. Northern Rock had liquid assets of £5.9 billion at the end of 2010, and posted a loss of £232 million for that year.

Lloyds has to sell around 600 branches after being ordered by European regulators to dispose off assets as payback for a state bailout during the crisis, which saw the government end up with a 40.6 per cent stake in Lloyds.

Reuters