Farming leaders today spoke of their ‘surprise’ after Shropshire yoghurt giant Muller opened talks to take over Britain’s biggest fresh milk supplier as part of a multi-million pound deal.

The Market Drayton-based firm yesterday tabled an offer for Robert Wiseman Dairies, which provides about 30 per cent of the fresh milk consumed in the UK every day.

Muller has already announced plans to slash the price it pays its 150 dairy farm suppliers for milk by 0.5p a litre from February.

Oliver Cartwright, NFU spokesman for the West Midlands, said: “What is of paramount importance is that farmers continue to be looked after properly and that they continue to get a fair price for their products.”

Paul Wynn, a dairy farmer near Whitchurch, said he was ‘very surprised’.