Published: 11/07/2002, Volume II2, No.5813 Page 8

Guy's and St Thomas's Hospital trust is waiting to hear if it can buy land belonging to King's College London at half the price offered by rival bidder the Aga Khan.

The university was due to make the decision last week on whether to sell the land - which adjoins St Thomas' Hospital in central London - to the Aga Khan for£24m, or to accept Guy's and St Thomas' offer of£12m. The trust, which is understood to be the college's preferred bidder, wants to use the land to relocate its nursing school and medical toxicology unit.

A decision is not now expected until October.