A witness has said Kavanaugh threw a glass at a man, which hit him on the ear and caused him to bleed

Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court has been delayed as the FBI carry out a "limited" additional background check after Republicans were blind-sided by one of their senators who said his vote for the nominee was dependent on such a probe.

Donald Trump later said it "wouldn't bother me at all" if the scope of the investigation was 'expanded' to include interviews of all three of his nominee's accusers and Mr Kavanaugh himself.

Last week's explosive testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee of Dr Christine Blasey Ford, who alleges a drunken Mr Kavanaugh sexually abused her at a college party in 1982, was hotly contested by Mr Kavanaugh in his counter-testimony.

He appeared angry and had several tense exchanges with committee Democrats, accusing them of doing this as a matter of "revenge" and simply to smear his name.

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In the latest twist in the story, Chad Ludington, a former Yale classmate of Mr Kavanaugh, has accused him of seriously misrepresenting his drinking as a student, calling him a “belligerent and aggressive” drunk.

The FBI's investigation is to last no longer than a week from the day from when the original vote on the nominee was supposed to take place, meaning it will conclude at the end of this week.

It is unclear if the investigation could be expanded should more accusers come forward.