Marks and Spencers A/W 2010

(Reuters) - British retailer Marks & Spencer (MKS.L) is looking to re-acquire some of the properties that it sold in 2001 when it exited Europe, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

The British retailer has approached Spanish chain El Corte Ingles about buying back some of the nine shops that it sold, the paper said, citing a retail executive with knowledge of the situation.

M&S is also in talks to re-acquire some of the 18 French shops from French retailer Galeries Lafayette.

The British retailer declined to comment.

In March 2001 M&S said it would close all 38 of its continental stores as part of a group restructuring.

(Reporting by Julie Crust; editing by Michael Shields)