A public row has broken out between cake supplier Inter Link and suitor and rival cake company McCambridge.

Inter Link said on Monday that it remained in discussions with McCambridge, although progress had been restricted as a confidentiality agreement, required to safeguard its stakeholders’ interests, had not been signed.

Then on Tuesday, McCambridge posted a statement saying that it had come up against "an unreasonable stance by the board of Inter Link regarding access to Inter Link’s bankers".

McCambridge, which has a 10% stake in Inter Link, said it was considering whether it should withdraw its approach until Inter Link was prepared to allow it direct access to its lenders.

Inter Link’ stance was "surprising due to its high debt level and the contents of its most recent trading statement," it said.

Inter Link responded that a confidentiality agreement was essential because McCambridge was a competitor or potential competitor. It would not allow access to its bankers until McCambridge accepted this.

Dublin-based McCambridge already owns Husseys bakery, Queen of Hearts and West of England Bakeries in the UK.