SCENARIOS - What's in store for Woolworths

LONDON (Reuters) - Trading in shares of Woolworths Group, the struggling retailer, were suspended on Wednesday, while talks continued to save the business from collapse.

The 99-year-old group remains in discussions regarding the potential sale of its 815-store retail business to restructuring specialist Hilco UK for a nominal sum.

It is also in talks with the BBC regarding the possible 100 million pounds-plus sale of its 40 percent interest in the 2 Entertain DVD publishing joint venture with BBC Worldwide, the state-funded broadcaster's commercial arm. Here are some scenarios of what could happen next.

HILCO BUYS WOOLWORTHS' RETAIL BUSINESS

Woolworths' board agrees to both sell the retail business to Hilco for 1 pound -- with Hilco taking on about 300 million pounds of the group's 385 million pounds debt -- and to sell 2 Entertain to BBC Worldwide.

The lending banks, Bank of Ireland division Burdale and GMAC, support the ongoing rump business, which will consist of just a profitable entertainment wholesale distribution business.

Hilco would then have to decide when to place the retail business into administration to offload unprofitable stores.

It could trade the business for cash in the run-up to Christmas, then tout the most profitable stores to other retailers, such as supermarkets looking to expand their convenience store footprint and Philip Green's expanding fashion empire.

Alternatively, it may take a view that the business' cash position is so poor that immediate administration is required.