Bradford-based supermarket chain Morrisons was given a boost today in its bid to take over rival Safeway.

Morrisons stunned the business world when it made its audacious £2.2 billion bid in January.

The move sparked a bidding war, with supermarket giants Asda, Sainsbury's and Tesco joining the fight for Safeway.

The takeover was referred to the Competition Commission watchdog, which is expected to rule later this year.

But Morrisons was today quietly celebrating after the watchdog hinted it could be leading the battle.

In a detailed letter looking into the issues, revealed today, the watchdog raised concerns about the bids from Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's because of their potential threat to competition.

And it said the bid from Morrisons could be "pro-competitive" because there would continue to be four supermarket chains operating on a national scale.

Morrisons' joint managing director, Bob Stott, said: "We remain convinced that Morrisons is the best long-term owner of Safeway, from the perspective of customers, suppliers, employees and shareholders."

Privately, the company is welcoming the indication that the Competition Commission is favouring four national supermarket groups.

The competition watchdog pointed towards store sales and improved terms for suppliers as it outlined remedies for the possible takeover.

The Competition Commission is examining whether any of the proposed deals would create an excessively dominant supermarket group which would damage shoppers and suppliers.

At the heart of the bids are local and national competition issues, prices and the impact of the potential mergers on suppliers.

The Competition Commission is due to report its final conclusions on whether the various proposals are in the public interest by August 12.