Employee Benefit Trust

Ashtead Group PLC
29 September 2005

Ashtead Group plc

29th September 2005



                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC

                                 Share Purchase

Ashtead Group plc has been advised that on 29th September 2005, Mourant & Co
Limited on behalf of the Ashtead Employee Benefit Trust ('the Trust') purchased
one million (1,000,000) 10p ordinary shares at a price of £1.3575 per share.

The total number of shares held by the Trust is 3,971,490 or 0.98% of the
Company's issued share capital.

The Trust's shares may ultimately vest in executive directors and senior
managers under the Company's share option plans, Incentive Investment Plan and/
or the Performance Share Plan.

Contacts:

Cob Stenham                Non-executive chairman                020 7299 5562
George Burnett             Chief executive                       01372 362300
Brian Hudspith             The Maitland Consultancy              020 7379 5151


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