A pension deficit of £213m (€306m) at Mirror Group threatens to dent the windfall shareholders can expect from a sell-off of some of the UK publishing company's newspaper titles, in the latest example of the new power trustees wield over mergers and acquisitions thanks to the Pensions Regulator.

Mirror Group today said it would sell the Racing Post, the UK's only national racing title as well as other websites and papers in its sports division to Irish private equity firm FL Partners for £170m.