Childrenswear and toy retailer Mothercare is reportedly in talks to sell the Early Learning Centre brand.

Several potential suitors have been linked to the sale of ELC, which Mothercare bought in 2007 and which has been hit by a shift to electronic toys in recent years.

Mothercare is currently reducing its store estate to just 200 by 2015 by closing loss-making stores and is reportedly a potential takeover target for supermarket Tesco.