Private equity firm Charterhouse Development Capital has been in discussions with a number of City banks about the possible disposal of the Tussauds Group.

Charterhouse - which bought Tussauds in 1998 from media group Pearson in a £353m deal - is examining four options: a Stock Market flotation, a secondary buyout, a trade sale or keeping the business and refinancing it, but says it is in no hurry to finalise a deal.

Tussauds, which operates attractions including Alton Towers and Thorpe Park as well as the famous waxworks, has been valued at between £800m and £1bn.

Full year figures for 2002 showed turnover at the company up 29.9 per cent on 2001 and EBITDA up 48.6 per cent.