Britain's takeover watchdog has set a Nov 8 deadline for Qatari investment fund Delta Two to make a firm bid for British supermarket group J Sainsbury or walk away.

Separately Sainsbury, which has received a 10.6 billion pound ($21.7 billion) bid approach from Delta Two, said Delta Two was seeking 500 million pounds of extra equity for its 600 pence a share offer and was in talks with the Qatari Investment Authority to secure such funding.

'There can be no certainty that such funding will be forthcoming and, therefore, no certainty that an offer will be made,' Sainsbury said in a statement. Reuters