Virgin Media nears debt repayment deal-newspaper

LONDON Nov 2 (Reuters) - Communications group Virgin Media (VMED.O) is expected to reveal this week that it has successfully delayed repayments on its 4.3 billion pounds ($7 billion) debt pile, Britain's Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported. The report said the cable operator, whose biggest shareholder is Sir Richard Branson, was due to refinance its debt next year, ahead of repayments of over 2 billion pounds due in 2010 and 2011.

The Sunday Telegraph said Virgin Media has asked lenders to agree to a payment deferral until June 2012, hoping that free cashflow can cope with the repayments.

A spokesman for Virgin Media was not available for immediate comment.

Virgin Media's lenders had until midday last Friday to vote on the new terms with an announcement expected to be made this week, the report said.

(Reporting by Rhys Jones; Editing by Jason Neely)