Newspaper owner Alexander Lebedev has declined an offer from the editor of the Rotherham Advertiser to buy the paper.

He was asked whether he would consider purchasing the title after giving the Society of Editors lecture at the start of the two-day conference in Glasgow.

Advertiser editor Doug Melloy asked Mr Lebedev, who owns the London Evening Standard, Independent and ‘i’, if he would consider buying any more British papers, such as his own independently-owned title.

But the tongue-in-cheek offer was politely declined by the Russian, who said it was not something he would consider.

Doug told HTFP: “I just rather wondered if having an experience of newspapers now, whether it had whetted his appetite to add to his stable and and try to compete with other big groups.

“There are newspapers like us still around. His answer was firmly no.”

He acknowledged it was not up to him to decide whether to sell the Advertiser, but said the paper would be sold for more than £2 if it was – referring to the low cost paid by Mr Lebedev for the two national titles he purchased.