TIMELINE-The battle for British supermarket group Morrisons

Aug. 6 Morrisons agrees to improved offer worth 6.7 billion pounds from Fortress consortium and adjourns shareholder meeting to vote on offer to Aug. 27. Aug. 9 Takeover Panel extends CD&R's "put-up or shut-up" deadline to Aug. 20.

The battle for Morrisons, Britain's fourth-largest supermarket group, is the most high-profile looming takeover in the country amid a raft of bids and counter bids, reflecting private equity's appetite for UK Plc. Here is a timeline of events so far:

June 19 Morrisons rejects the proposed 5.52 billion pounds ($7.64 billion)cash offer from Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R). June 30 Morrisons investor JO Hambro says CD&R should increase its offer to around 6.5 billion pounds.

July 3 Morrisons agrees to a 6.3 billion pound offer from a consortium led by SoftBank-owned Fortress Investment Group. July 5 A third private equity group, Apollo Global Management, says it is evaluating a possible offer for Morrisons.

July 20 Apollo says it will not bid for Morrisons on its own but may join the Fortress consortium. July 22 Scheme document outlining Fortress' offer is published and Aug. 16 set for Morrisons' shareholders to vote on the offer. UK Takeover Panel gives CD&R until Aug. 9 to announce a firm intention to make an offer or walk away.

July 27 Silchester, Morrisons' biggest shareholder, says not inclined to support Fortress offer. July 28 Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC joins Fortress-led private equity consortium.

July 29 Morrisons investor M&G says Fortress's offer does not reflect the value of the group. Aug. 6 Morrisons agrees to an improved offer worth 6.7 billion pounds from Fortress consortium and adjourns shareholder meeting to vote on offer to Aug. 27.

Aug. 9 Takeover Panel extends CD&R's "put-up or shut-up" deadline to Aug. 20. Aug. 19 Morrisons agrees to a 7.0 billion pound offer from CD&R and drops Fortress recommendation. Fortress says it is "considering its options". Morrisons adjourns Aug. 27 shareholder meeting, says the new meeting will be held around the week starting Oct. 4.

Aug. 23 Morrisons shareholder Legal & General says it believes the true value of the supermarket group should be realized following CD&R's sweetened bid, with more attention now being paid to its property assets. Aug. 24 Morrisons' pension schemes warn a takeover by either CD&R or Fortress could "materially weaken" the security of the schemes if no additional protection is agreed upon.

Aug. 27 Morrisons says scheme document for CD&R's offer to be published on or around Sept. 11. It says the shareholder meeting to vote on the CD&R offer will be held on or around Oct. 5. ($1 = 0.7227 pounds)

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