Purchase of Own Securities

British Portfolio Trust PLC
15 May 2002

British Portfolio Trust plc announces that on 15th May 2002 it re-purchased, for
cancellation, 23,000 Ordinary 1p Shares (representing 0.05% of the issued
Ordinary capital), at the price of 142.284p per Ordinary Share.

Settlement and cancellation of the re-purchased 23,000 Ordinary Shares is due on
20th May 2002 when the issued share capital of the Trust will fall to 43,388,405
Ordinary 1p Shares.

Enquiries:

P W I Ingram

Company Secretary

Tel: [phone]

As at 15th May 2002







                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange